• Posted July 10, 2026

LGBTQ+ People Less Likely To Be Screened For Some Common Cancers

LGBTQ+ people are less likely to be regularly tested for some common forms of cancer, a new study says.

Gay and bisexual women, as well as transgender individuals, are less likely to receive screening for cervical or breast cancers, researchers reported July 6 in the journal Cancer.

“The current data highlight how sexual and gender minority populations, particularly transgender individuals, face significant disparities in accessing breast and cervical cancer screenings,” senior researcher Dr. Timothy Pawlik, surgeon-in-chief at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, said in a news release.

For the study, researchers analyzed federal survey data for nearly 664,000 U.S. adults, of whom about 1.6% were LGBTQ+. As part of the survey, people were asked whether they’d been screened for a variety of cancers.

Results showed that gay and bisexual women were 16% less likely to have been screened for breast cancer and 8% less likely for cervical cancer, compared to heterosexual women.

Likewise, transgender people were 76% less likely to be screened for breast cancer and 42% less likely for cervical cancer, compared to cisgender people.

However, there were no major disparities when it came to being screened for colon cancer, researchers found.

“Colorectal cancer screening, which is less embedded in gendered healthcare contexts, did not show the same disparity, suggesting fewer gender‐related barriers to access,” the researchers wrote in their study.

“These findings underscore prevalent structural and systemic barriers in preventive cancer care and highlight the need for inclusive, culturally sensitive interventions to promote equitable screening access,” the team concluded.

Healthcare systems can help improve screening by using more inclusive language for LGBTQ+ people, researchers said. Offering alternative screening approaches — like self-collected human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for cervical cancer among female-to-male transgender people — also might help patients feel more comfortable.

“The study emphasizes the urgent need for targeted interventions, including improved training for providers and policy reform, to bridge these gaps and ensure equitable, inclusive care,” Pawlik said.

More information

The American Cancer Society has cancer facts for LGBTQ+ people.

SOURCES: American Cancer Society, news release, July 6, 2026; Cancer, July 6, 2026