Screening issues in gynecologic malignancies for women with disabilities: critical considerations

There are 25 million women with disabilities in the United States. They have biologically similar risks to other women for developing all cancers, including gynecologic malignancies. Unfortunately, barriers to comparable cancer screening include lack of knowledge by women themselves, lack of awareness on the part of health care providers about special health concerns clinicians might encounter, and physical access barriers. Together, these factors conspire to delay diagnosis and treatment of many common gynecologic malignancies. Additionally, medications taken by some women with chronic disease states may adversely affect their risk for developing certain types of cancer, and they may be at increased risk for contracting underdiagnosed sexually transmitted diseases linked to cervical cancer. This article describes some important issues regarding incidence and screening for gynecologic malignancies in women with disabilities.