LGBTQ+ Pride Month is coming to an end, but cancer prevention for the LGBTQ+ community is a year-round priority of the Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA) program at Stony Brook Cancer Center, in Stony Brook, New York . People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) face many health disparities compared to those who identify as heterosexual and cisgender. LGBTQ+ people have a higher risk of certain cancers as well as disparities in access to cancer screenings and preventive care.
LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be uninsured, lack access to health care, and delay health care, including preventive care and cancer screenings. The LGBTQ+ community also experiences higher rates of discrimination in healthcare settings than heterosexual and cisgender patients.
Disparities in cervical cancer prevention exist among lesbian and bisexual women and transgender people with cervixes. These patients are less likely to receive cervical cancer screening recommendations from providers and have higher rates of inadequate and abnormal test results. Lesbian and bisexual women are also less likely to receive provider recommendations for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which can prevent cervical cancers.
There are also disparities among gay and bisexual men, who have higher rates of anal cancer, especially if they are HIV positive. Gay and bisexual men also have higher rates of skin cancer, as well as higher rates of tanning bed use, which is a known risk factor for skin cancer.
Access to cancer prevention care, such as vaccinations and screenings, is essential to reducing cancer disparities within the LGBTQ+ community. The HPV vaccine prevents 90 percent of cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), including cancers of the cervix and anus, as well as cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis and mouth. This vaccine is recommended for people of all genders and is safe from age nine and up to age 45 for those not vaccinated in childhood.
Increasing awareness of cancer prevention strategies, such as avoiding indoor tanning, sun protection, and staying up to date with cancer screenings and vaccinations, is also essential to help reduce the burden of cancer in the community. LGBTQ+.
Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA) program aims to raise awareness and promote cancer prevention among people of all gender identities, expressions and sexual orientations. CPiA provides training and resources to community organizations, schools and universities, health care organizations and others on strategies to help reduce cancer rates and disparities on Long Island. Learn more about www.takeactionagainstcancer.com.
Addressing cancer disparities within the LGBTQ+ community is one of the many ways Stony Brook Medicine demonstrates its commitment to providing high-quality, equitable care. Learn more about LGBTQ+ care at Stony Brook Medicine at stonybrookmedicine.edu/LGBTQ and on cancer prevention for the LGBTQ+ community at stonybrookmedicine.edu/LGBTQ/Education/Cancer.
CPiA is supported by funds from Health Research Inc. and New York State.
Annalea Trask is Cancer Prevention In Action program coordinator, Stony Brook Cancer Center, in Stony Brook, New York.
