Despite decades of progress in cervical cancer prevention, new research reveals persistent disparities in disease burden across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. A study analyzing data from over 165 million U.S. patients between 2017 and 2022 found that women in low-income areas and communities with higher Hispanic populations face significantly higher rates of cervical cancer.
Researchers identified nearly 49,000 cervical cancer cases and over 10,000 patients who required systemic therapy for recurrent or metastatic disease. While higher screening rates were linked to lower cancer burden in the South, this trend did not hold nationwide. In fact, the West showed a troubling pattern: higher screening rates but also higher rates of advanced disease, suggesting gaps in follow-up care or treatment access.
Income level emerged as a key factor. Areas with more families living below 200% of the federal poverty line had higher cervical cancer rates. In the South, poverty was also tied to more advanced disease, underscoring how financial barriers may limit access to early, potentially curative treatment.
Race and ethnicity also played a role. ZIP codes with more Hispanic residents had higher cervical cancer rates, while those with more Asian residents had lower rates. Interestingly, no racial or ethnic group showed a significant national association with advanced disease, suggesting that disparities may be more pronounced in prevention than in treatment.
Access to brachytherapy centers—used as a proxy for guideline-conforming care—was associated with a 2.7% reduction in advanced disease burden, highlighting the importance of equitable access to specialized treatment.
See: “Health disparities in cervical cancer: Estimating geographic variations of disease burden and association with key socioeconomic and demographic factors in the US” (July 18, 2024)