Systematic review of reporting of rurality, deprivation, and socioeconomic characteristics in cancer clinical trials

The composition of clinical trial populations influences the interpretation and generalizability of cancer trial results the extent to which geographic and socioeconomic characteristics are reported in primary cancer clinical trial publications is unknown. A systematic review of US-based randomized phase 2 or 3 cancer trials published from 2020 to 2025 evaluated the frequency of reporting of these characteristics. Among 6681 reviewed trials, 441 met inclusion criteria. Reporting of age and sex was nearly universal, while reporting of race and ethnicity has increased substantially over time. In contrast, reporting of rurality, income, education, insurance, and area-level deprivation was rare or wholly absent. The author concludes that geographic and socioeconomic characteristics are rarely reported in primary cancer clinical publications, limiting the ability to assess generalizability and interpret findings across populations.