Breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients from sex and gender minority groups

Sexual orientation and gender identity data are not collected by most hospitals or cancer registries; thus, little is known about the quality of breast cancer treatment for patients from sex and gender minority (SGM) groups. A retrospective case-control study at Stanford University (CA) investigated breast cancer treatment and outcomes in SGM patients compared with cisgender heterosexual patients. The patients from the SGM groups experienced delayed diagnosis, with faster recurrence at a 3-fold higher rate. The authors conclude that these results suggest disparities in the care of patients from SGM groups compared with cisgender heterosexual patients and warrant further study to inform interventions.