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Left behind: cancer disparities in the developed world

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Abstract

Huge advances have been made in cancer treatments over recent decades; however, significant disparities still exist in the developed world on the basis of race, socioeconomic status, education level, geographical location, and immigration status and in the United States, insurance status. Cancer disparities persist in the continuum of cancer care from risk factors, screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care. The causes of disparities are complex and multifactorial. The MASCC (Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer) Education Study Group would like to propose a framework of cancer disparities from a social perspective utilizing “social determinants of health” as delineated by the World Health Organization and highlight an unmet need for research and policy innovations to address cancer disparities in developed world.

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Acknowledgments

The authors have no financial relationship pertaining to this manuscript. The authors have made significant contribution to preparation and have seen and approved the final version of manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California San Francisco, 995 Potrero avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94110, USA

    Niharika Dixit

  2. Northern Adelaide Palliative Service, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaide, Australia

    Gregory B. Crawford

  3. Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Gregory B. Crawford

  4. Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, ON, Canada

    Manon Lemonde

  5. Rittenberg Oncology Consulting, 500 Rue St. Ann, Suite 223, Metairie, LA, 70005, USA

    Cynthia N. Rittenberg

  6. Institut Català d’Oncologia – ICO, Nursing University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Paz Fernández-Ortega

Authors
  1. Niharika Dixit
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  2. Gregory B. Crawford
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  3. Manon Lemonde
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  4. Cynthia N. Rittenberg
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  5. Paz Fernández-Ortega
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Niharika Dixit.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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On behalf of MASCC Education Study group

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Dixit, N., Crawford, G.B., Lemonde, M. et al. Left behind: cancer disparities in the developed world. Support Care Cancer 24, 3261–3264 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3192-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-016-3192-4

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