Disparities in Cancer Care

National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers routinely perform clinical trial site self-assessments. However, participation in these types of assessments is far less commonplace among community oncology sites.

Carrie Horton, MS, CGC, discusses how the findings from a retrospective analysis of germline testing rates among racially diverse groups of men with prostate cancer will guide future research and influence the steps community oncologists can take to increase testing rates.

Carrie Horton, MS, CGC, discusses the importance of addressing the equity gap of genetic testing in cancer care.

Narjust Florez (Duma), MD, discusses the alarming regularity of disparities in lung cancer care, the elements that perpetuate them, and ways to address them on an individual and institutional level.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Association of Community Cancer Centers have issued a joint statement outlining 6 recommendations for boosting participation among underserved communities.

Undocumented immigrants continue to face discriminatory policies, which affect those with cancer on emotional, financial, physical, and social levels.

Pierluigi Porcu, MD, discusses the need for diverse representation in clinical trials.

Despite receiving similar treatment, Black patients between the ages of 18 and 29 years with acute myeloid leukemia were twice as likely to die within 5 years compared with Whites.

Judith Karp, MD; Azra Raza, MD; and Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD, highlight the decades-long evolution of the leukemia field and express challenges such as defining the causes of leukemia and developing therapies to treat the disease and mitigate adverse effects like bone pain.

Suneel Kamath, MD, discusses the importance of including underrepresented patient populations in clinical trials.

The US Preventive Services Task Force updated its lung cancer screening guidelines in 2021 to include more members of vulnerable populations, including African Americans, women, and the LGBTQ community.

Suneel Kamath, MD, discusses the findings from research he conducted evaluating the effect of financial and racial disparities on cancer incidence and mortality.

Adana A.M. Llanos, PhD, MPH, discusses how to recognize social determinants of disparities in cancer care.

Black patients were less likely to be included in clinical trials that investigate newer treatments for metastatic breast cancer, despite having the highest death rate and shortest survival outcomes when compared with other racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

Sanjay Goel, MD, MS, discusses the need for diverse representation in clinical trials.

Denalee O'Malley, PhD, sheds light on racial and ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer screening, and strategies that can be used to address existing barriers in the clinic and beyond.

Denalee O'Malley, PhD, discusses racial and economic barriers to colorectal screening in colorectal cancer.

Rates of negative surgical margins and adequate lymphadenectomies were lower in Black patients with gastrointestinal tract cancer compared with White patients, according to data from a retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open.

Sajid A. Khan MD, FACS, FSSO, discusses findings from the study on racial disparities in surgical outcomes and quality of care for GI tract cancer, plus what issues need to be addressed to close the gap in care.

Ruben A. Mesa, MD, discusses the different disparities that are known to affect cancer care and key efforts being made to address them.

Ruben A. Mesa, MD, discusses various determinants of disparities in cancer care.

Alexander B. Olawaiye, MD, discusses how to address disparities in cancer care.

Lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer death in the United States.

The risk of cancer-specific mortality in breast cancer was increased for younger adult Black female patients compared with younger adult White female patients.

Traditional eligibility criteria for pancreatic cancer clinical trials reinforce underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in clinical trial candidacy and skew standards of care in favor of non-Hispanic White participants.