Cancer research and treatment strategies have significantly evolved over the years, with clinical trials serving as an effective pathway for discovering groundbreaking therapies. Similarly, survivorship care plans (SCPs) have emerged as crucial tools for guiding patients through post-treatment life. However, stark disparities exist regarding access to these critical elements of care, which may impact survivorship. These disparities, influenced primarily by race, age, gender, and socio-economic status, profoundly impact the scope and success of cancer care. Examining these disparities from an intersectional perspective provides a more nuanced understanding of their effects. In spite of initiatives aiming to diversify trial enrolment and improve SCP access, inequities persist across various cancer patient demographics. This underscores the need for targeted investigation into intersectional disparities in access to cancer clinical trials and survivorship support to advance health equity in cancer care.

The goal of this Research Topic is to curate a collection of articles that explore intersectional disparities in access to cancer clinical trials and survivorship care - two key elements of comprehensive cancer care. This topic aims to gather research that delves into the underrepresentation of certain demographic groups - including race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, socio-economic status and sexual orientation - in clinical trials and survivorship care.

In contributing to this Research Topic, authors are invited to identify and discuss the core reasons contributing to these inequities, evaluating recent advancements towards equity, and propose novel strategies to ensure equitable access to clinical trials and survivorship. We encourage submissions that provide a more nuanced understanding of cancer treatments across distinct patient demographics and that contribute to the broader conversation on health equity.

Ultimately, this collection of articles will not only shed light on intersectional disparities in cancer care but also stimulate innovative solutions to address these inequities, thereby shaping the future of equitable cancer care.

This Research Topic aims to gather scholarly contributions that provide insight into intersectional disparities in access to cancer clinical trials and survivorship. We welcome thorough investigations into issues including race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, socio-economic status and sexual orientation and how these factors intertwine to affect access and outcomes of these crucial aspects of cancer care.

Information for Authors:

We encourage the submission of original research articles, reviews, opinion pieces and the articles types listed for this section. Specific themes of interest include:

Intersectionality in access to clinical trials and survivorship care.
Role of race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, socio-economic status and sexual orientation in clinical trials participation.
Disparities in survivorship care and effect on patient outcomes.
Proposed strategies to mitigate intersectional disparities in clinical trials and survivorship care.
Evaluation of recent initiatives targeting these disparities.

Contributors are encouraged to approach these topics with an intersectional perspective in order to offer a more complete understanding of the current state of equitable access in cancer clinical trials and survivorship care.

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Frontiers in Cancer Control and Society

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