Cancer Control in Refugee and Asylum Seeker Populations: A Scoping Review

Displaced individuals face significant health care access challenges, particularly for noncommunicable diseases. For these individuals, cancer control remains a severely neglected aspect of health care. This scoping review aims to synthesize and evaluate the current state of knowledge on equity within the cancer care continuum for refugee and asylum seeker populations worldwide.

A systematic search of PubMed and Embase was conducted for peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2024, focusing on refugee and asylum seeker populations and cancer. Eligible studies addressed at least one stage of the cancer care continuum (prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, end-of-life care or survivorship) and included perspectives or outcomes of patients, caregivers, or providers. Data were extracted and mapped by study setting, population, cancer continuum stage, and type of barriers or interventions identified.

Of 372 screened articles, 111 met inclusion criteria. The majority of research focused on cancer prevention, detection, and diagnosis. Common themes included low cancer awareness, reduced screening uptake, delayed diagnoses, treatment interruptions, and poor survival outcomes. Financial, social, and systemic barriers such as cost, stigma, language barriers, and inconsistent policies were frequently reported. Effective interventions included culturally tailored education, refugee-specific health clinics, use of interpreters, sex-concordant providers, and community engagement.

Refugees and asylum seekers face persistent and multifaceted inequities in cancer care, shaped by both individual and systemic factors. Although some high-performing models and interventions exist, large gaps remain in research and service delivery. The findings emphasize the urgent need for an integrated strategy that incorporates the comprehensive cancer care needs of refugees and asylum seekers into national and international health policies.