Study reveals disparities and the need for equitable screening access.
New research has uncovered persistent disparities in preventive cancer care across different sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) populations. The study published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, found particular concern for cervical and breast cancer screening.
To assess SOGI differences in cancer screening and prevalence, investigators analyzed data from the 2018–2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a nationally representative annual telephone survey of US adults.
Among 663,924 respondents who were eligible for different cancer screening tests, sexual orientation minority (such as gay and bisexual) women were 8% and 16% less likely to receive screening tests for cervical cancer and breast cancer, respectively, compared with heterosexual women. In men, sexual orientation minorities had a 10% higher colorectal cancer screening rate that heterosexual men. Compared with cisgender status, gender identity minority (such as transgender) status was associated with a 42% and 76% lower likelihood of cervical cancer and breast cancer screening, respectively, with no differences for colorectal cancer screening. SOGI was not associated with meaningful differences in cancer prevalence.
“The current data highlight how sexual and gender minority populations, particularly transgender individuals, face significant disparities in accessing breast and cervical cancer screenings,” said senior author Timothy M. Pawlik, MD, MPH, PhD, of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “The study emphasizes the urgent need for targeted interventions, including improved training for providers and policy reform, to bridge these gaps and ensure equitable, inclusive care.”
Additional information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. A free abstract of this article will be available via the CANCER Newsroom upon online publication. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com
Full Citation:
“Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Based Disparities in Colorectal, Cervical, and Breast Cancer Screening in the United States.” Lorenza Arena, Qaidar Alizai, Abdulaziz Elemosho, Odysseas P. Chatzipanagiotou, and Timothy M. Pawlik. CANCER; Published Online: July 6, 2026 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.70462).
URL: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/cncr.70462
Author Contact: Eileen Scahill, senior writer in The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Marketing and Strategic Communications, at Eileen.Scahill@osumc.edu
About the Journal
CANCER is a peer-reviewed publication of the American Cancer Society integrating scientific information from worldwide sources for all oncologic specialties. The objective of CANCER is to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of information among oncologic disciplines concerned with the etiology, course, and treatment of human cancer. CANCER is published on behalf of the American Cancer Society by Wiley and can be accessed online. Follow CANCER on X @JournalCancer, and stay up to date with the American Cancer Society Journals on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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