Early Detection of Cancer in Medically Underserved Populations

Limited access to healthcare due to poverty, lack of insurance, and/or excessive distance from healthcare services has been highlighted as a significant contributor to poor outcomes related to cancer incidence and cancer-related morbidity, survival, and mortality. Moreover, America's primary reliance on employer-based health insurance means that those living without employment or in poverty frequently cannot afford healthcare and therefore experience poorer health outcomes. Because cancer screening that allows for early cancer detection saves lives, it is imperative that research on how to improve and increase cancer-related screening and early detection services for the medically underserved be prioritized and acted upon by policymakers and others responsible for implementing scientific discoveries to improve cancer-related population health.