(Alexandria, VA, Thursday, February 24, 2022) – Recent improvements in cancer care and outcomes in the United States are not reaching everyone equally. New research from KFF suggests that racial and eithnic disparities in oncologhy are driven by a combination of structural, economic, and socioenvironmental inequities that are rooted in racism and discrimination. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Board Chair Dr. Lori J. Pierce is available to share her perspectives on this issue and new approaches to help ensure that every patient has access to high-quality cancer care.

The KFF report shows that people of color in the U.S. are less likely than their white counterparts to have health insurance and are more likely to face barriers to accessing cancer services, including cancer screenings, which are critical to catching disease early.

• Nonelderly American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) and Hispanic people have the highest uninsured rates at 22% and 20%, respectively. Uninsured rates for nonelderly Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) (13%) and Black (11%) people are also higher than the rate for their White counterparts (8%).

ASCO—the world’s leading professional organization for nearly 45,000 physicians and oncology professionals caring for people with cancer—recently released an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan detailing its plans to increase equitable cancer care and research.

COVID-19 led to a significant decline in cancer screenings, particularly during the early phases of the pandemic. Screening delays lead to later stage cancer diagnoses and worse clinical outcomes.

• A Journal of the American Medical Association study found a more significant reduction in mammograms from 2019 to 2020 for women of color due the pandemic response. Rates of reduction were 64.2% for Hispanic women, 60.9% for American Indian/Alaska Native women, 54.5% for Asian women, and 53.9% for Black women—compared to a 49.2% reduction in mammograms for White women.

Continued efforts are needed to reduce cancer disparities. Within the health care system, this may include increasing access to health insurance and care and efforts to eliminate discrimination and bias. Beyond the health care system, addressing social determinants of health (such as education, socioeconomic status, geography, transportation needs, and other individual circumstances) will be important.

Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) is committed to the principle that knowledge conquers cancer. Together with the Association for Clinical Oncology, ASCO represents nearly 45,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of high quality, equitable patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, supports ASCO by funding groundbreaking research and education across cancer’s full continuum. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, explore patient education resources at www.Cancer.Net, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.