Society · Meta-analysis

Lower income linked to worse cancer screening and treatment access

• People with lower socioeconomic status have reduced access to modern cancer treatments including immunotherapy and targeted therapies compared to wealthier individuals.
• Lower-income groups show lower rates of breast cancer screening and higher rates of lung cancer, according to evidence pooled from many studies.
• Wealthier countries see higher overall cancer rates, suggesting that development and lifestyle factors drive some cancer risk alongside economic disadvantage.

Nature Communications · 2024 — https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-54444-2

An umbrella review of socioeconomic status and cancer