Cancer risk among transgender adults: A growing population with unmet needs

Investigating the Needs and Concerns of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, or Questioning Cancer Patients

The needs and concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (LGBTQ+) patients with cancer remain poorly understood. This is important as LGBTQ+ patients have an elevated risk of developing certain cancers and have poorer oncologic outcomes compared to non-LGBTQ+ patients. The lack of research may be linked to the complexity of studying the needs and concerns of this patient population. This review aimed to describe the evidence that sought to identify the needs and concerns of LGBTQ+ cancer patients. Studies were extracted using keywords such as "LGBTQ" and "Oncology." Patient participants were excluded if they did not identify as LGBTQ+ and if they did not have cancer or were not cancer survivors. Healthcare professionals were excluded if they were not oncology specific. A total of 22 studies met our inclusion criteria. LGBTQ+ cancer patients expressed concerns surrounding heteronormative assumptions made by healthcare professionals, a lack of LGBTQ±specific cancer support groups, and psychosexual concerns such as erectile dysfunction following cancer treatment. Oncology healthcare professionals lacked the knowledge and education that are required to manage this patient cohort. Further research is required to investigate the needs and concerns of LGBTQ+ cancer patients specifically in the radiation oncology setting.

Neovaginal squamous cell carcinoma in a transgender woman: Case report, treatment insights, and literature review

•Rare Case: 8th reported neovaginal SCC case in a transgender woman, 23 years post-gender-affirming surgery.•Treatment: INTERLACE protocol with chemo, radiation, and brachytherapy as a guideline for care.•Surgical Impact: Stuteville technique influences lymphatic drainage, key for radiation treatment planning.•Latency: Avg. 28.5 years from gender-affirming surgery to cancer diagnosis.•Screening Barriers: Need for improved gynecologic exams, cytology, and specialized transgender-inclusive care.

The Burden of Cancer and Pre-cancerous Conditions Among Transgender Individuals in a Large Healthcare Network

The current study aimed to examine the prevalence of and risk factors for cancer and pre-cancerous conditions, comparing transgender and cisgender individuals, using 2012-2023 electronic health record data from a large healthcare system. We identified 2,745 transgender individuals using a previously validated computable phenotype and 54,900 matched cisgender individuals. We calculated the prevalence of cancer and pre-cancer related to human papillomavirus (HPV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), tobacco, alcohol, lung, breast, colorectum, and built multivariable logistic models to examine the association between gender identity and the presence of cancer or pre-cancer. Results indicated similar odds of developing cancer across gender identities, but transgender individuals exhibited significantly higher risks for pre-cancerous conditions, including alcohol-related, breast, and colorectal pre-cancers compared to cisgender women, and HPV-related, tobacco-related, alcohol-related, and colorectal pre-cancers compared to cisgender men. These findings underscore the need for tailored interventions and policies addressing cancer health disparities affecting the transgender population.