Panel Discussion—Moving Toward Equity: Identifying and Mitigating Disparities in Cancer Care from Screening to Survival

Considerable advancements in cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship care have led to improved outcomes for millions of people with cancer. Unfortunately, equity in the benefits of these improvements has not been realized. Decades worth of research is clear that timeliness of screening and diagnosis, quality of treatment, and, by extension, quality of life and mortality are associated with population demographics resulting in persistent disparities. Historically, we have examined cancer disparities by patient race and ethnicity, but growing bodies of research are also demonstrating disparate care and outcome patterns based on other patient factors, including age, sexual orientation and gender identity, body weight, and the neighborhood and built environment where an individual lives, among others.

This panel discussion focuses on advancing knowledge of disparities and efforts to mitigate those disparities as it relates to cancer care and outcomes.

Co-Chairs Dr. Lauren Hamel and Dr. Yvonne Eaglehouse are Guest Editors of a Special Collection in Cancer Control on the theme of "Moving Toward Equity: Identifying and Mitigating Disparities in Cancer Care from Screening to Survival." Authors are especially encouraged to submit works focused on emerging areas of cancer disparities research, research that includes community engagement, and research that develops and tests interventions to mitigate disparities.