The prevalence of certain cancers may be higher in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) patients than in heterosexual patients, according to data published in Cancer Causes & Control.
Researchers found higher rates of bone, genitourinary, gynecologic, hematologic, skin, and thyroid cancers among LGB patients.
The researchers compared the prevalence of self-reported cancers in LGB patients and heterosexual patients in the United States using data from the National Health Interview Survey (2017-2021).
The data included 134,372 heterosexual and 4576 LGB patients. In the LGB group, there were 1500 gay men, 1495 bisexual women, 1054 lesbian women, and 527 bisexual men.
The unadjusted prevalence of a self-reported cancer was 9.0% in the LGB population and 12.4% in the heterosexual population.
However, certain cancers were more common in the LGB population than in the heterosexual population, including:
- Cervical cancer —16.3% and 8.2%, respectively
- Uterine cancer — 7.2% vs 5.9%
- Ovarian cancer — 7.7% vs 3.5%
- Thyroid cancer — 3.2% vs 2.9%
- Lymphoma — 4.2% vs 3.2%
- Leukemia — 2.2% vs 1.4%
- Other hematologic cancers — 0.7% vs 0.6%
- Bone cancer — 1.2% vs 0.7%
- Melanoma of the skin — 9.4% vs 9.1%
- Non-melanoma skin cancer — 24.2% vs 22.3%
- Unknown types of skin cancer — 7.7% vs 7.0%
- Bladder cancer — 2.8% vs 2.7%
- Kidney cancer — 2.8% vs 2.2%.
In addition, when the researchers adjusted for sociodemographic factors, gay men and lesbian women were more likely to have any cancer than heterosexual men and women. The adjusted odds ratio was 1.73 for gay men (95% CI, 1.14-2.63; P =.01) and 2.26 for lesbian women (95% CI, 1.24-4.16; P =.009). There was no significant difference between bisexual and heterosexual patients, however.
“Our study showed that gay men and lesbian women had a higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than their corresponding heterosexual counterparts,” the researchers wrote. “It also provided baseline information on the prevalence of some specific cancers among the LGB population. Due to the established disparities, a multilevel SM [sexual minority]-specific approach and intervention would be required to address cancer prevention, screening, treatment, survivorship, and control among SM individuals.”
Reference
Tundealao S, Sajja A, Titiloye T, Egab I, Odole I. Prevalence of self-reported cancer based on sexual orientation in the United States: a comparative analysis between lesbian, bisexual, gay, and heterosexual individuals. Cancer Causes & Control. Published online July 12, 2023. doi:10.1007/s10552-023-01749-0
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