Higher rates of unplanned surgery, longer hospital stays, and increased costs among people experiencing homelessness who undergo surgery for malignancy

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) who undergo surgery for malignancy face significant barriers to access care and experience poorer outcomes compared to housed patients. This retrospective cohort study of 67,034 patients in three US states found that PEH more frequently underwent unplanned surgery (65.3% vs 23.7%) and had longer hospital stays (67.7% longer) compared to housed patients. Furthermore, PEH had higher odds of facility discharge, readmission, and 32.7% higher costs. These findings highlight the need for improved access to oncologic care for PEH.