Unique Issues Facing Sexual and Gender Minorities in Cancer

There are few resources available that help providers understand unique issues sexual and gender minority (SGM) people face related to cancer screening and care. This article helps fill the gap by providing some of the top-line issues providers and policymakers should know, as assembled by one of the leading experts in this field, the executive director of the National LGBT Cancer Network. The sexual and gender minority (SGM) cancer field has matured significantly in recent years, providing greater insight into the barriers and challenges experienced by this population. Not only are risks of cancer for the population higher, but SGM people also experience low access to tailored resources and ultimately lower satisfaction with care after treatment. This article will lay out key issues related to cancer and this population, including changing demographics, no presumption of care, other access to care barriers, systematic data suppression, and then the lack of population-specific cancer research. It will also review the first step in building a more welcoming clinical practice and give resources for additional steps.