Clinical Report: Cancer Screening Gaps Seen in Sexual, Gender Minority Groups

Background

Understanding cancer screening disparities is crucial for improving health outcomes in sexual and gender minority populations. These groups often face barriers to accessing healthcare, which can lead to lower adherence to recommended screening guidelines.

Data Highlights

The study analyzed data from 663,924 unweighted respondents, representing approximately 63.9 million weighted US adults. Key findings include:

Key Findings

• Sexual orientation minority women reported lower adherence to cervical (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.92) and breast cancer screening (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.84) compared to heterosexual women.
• Colorectal cancer screening adherence did not differ by sexual orientation among women.
• Gender identity minority respondents had significantly lower adherence to cervical (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.58) and breast cancer screening (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.24) compared to cisgender respondents.
• Among men, sexual orientation minority respondents had a modestly higher adjusted prevalence of colorectal cancer screening adherence compared to heterosexual respondents.
• Exploratory analyses indicated lower adherence to colorectal and cervical cancer screening among female-to-male transgender respondents compared to cisgender female respondents.
• Approximately 64% of the adherence gap for cervical cancer screening among sexual orientation minority women was explained by sociodemographic and healthcare access factors.

Clinical Implications

Healthcare providers should be aware of the disparities in cancer screening adherence among sexual and gender minority populations.

Conclusion

The study highlights disparities in cancer screening adherence among sexual and gender minority individuals.

Related Resources & Content

1. Arena, Cancer, 2026 -- Sexual orientation and gender identity based disparities in colorectal, cervical, and breast cancer screening in the United States
2. Frontiers in Oncology, 2026 -- Sex and gender-oriented colorectal cancer screening: a consensus study from the AIOM- GISEG working group
3. The ASCO Post, 2021 -- The COVID-19 Pandemic and Cancer Screening Deficits in the United States KEY POINTS
4. Dana-Farber, 2021 -- COVID-19 and Cancer: Screenings Rebound but Study Finds Disparities
5. The ASCO Post — Chronic Health Conditions May Be Prevalent Among LGB Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors
6. USPSTF Recommendation: Screening for Breast Cancer
7. Cancer screening attendance rates in transgender and gender-diverse patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
8. Sexual orientation and gender identity based disparities in colorectal, cervical, and breast cancer screening in the United States - Arena - 2026 - Cancer - Wiley Online Library