Health experts find trans people in England are overlooked for important cancer screenings
September 24, 2024Health experts have disclosed that trans patients in England are missing out on crucial cancer screenings.
Recently, health professionals from across the globe came together at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva, Switzerland, to learn about the latest advances in “successful cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care interventions.”
The event featured various sessions, including discussions on the lack of cancer screenings for trans patients.
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According to a report from The Guardian, experts have highlighted that many trans women in England who have not updated their gender on their GP records have not been invited for breast cancer screenings.
Trans men who have updated their gender identity on their documents encounter a similar issue, as they are not offered breast or cervical cancer screenings, as ‘Gay Times’ write.
The gap in cancer screenings has been attributed by health professionals to England’s electronic records system, particularly its method of updating a trans person’s gender.
Currently, when trans individuals request a gender change, they receive a new NHS number and are registered as new patients.
While their existing medical records are transferred to their new file, information about their previous identities is not included.
“Research shows that transgender people are more likely to be exposed to a number of risk factors for cancer, while their access to timely and effective care is affected by a range of complex issues,” Gemma Peters, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, told The Guardian.
“From screening and diagnosis through to treatment and support, it is essential that trans people get the care they need and are entitled to. The reality is that health inequities endanger lives.”
Stewart O'Callaghan, chief executive of the charity OutPatients, shared similar thoughts and proposed a possible solution.
“The system needs to find a way to track trans status without removing a person’s right to privacy,” they explained to the news outlet.
“One possible solution would be to have both gender and sex registered at birth on the patient record, with the latter only accessible at a system level or by clinicians with permission. However, any solution must be co-created with trans patients directly.”
This recent report follows a study from the British Journal of General Practice conducted three years ago, which highlighted the obstacles trans men and non-binary people face when accessing cervical cancer screenings.
The data, reported by The Independent in 2021, indicated that 47% of the 137 trans men and non-binary individuals surveyed felt they weren’t provided with “sufficient information” about the test.
Some survey respondents also shared the difficulties they encountered when attempting to request a cervical cancer screening.
“I changed my gender marker to male, so I am not invited at all anymore,” one person stated.
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