Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.8
4.4
Journals
Cancers
Special Issues
Health Disparities and Outcomes in Cancer Survivors
cancers-logo
Submit to Cancers Review for Cancers Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Health Disparities and Outcomes in Cancer Survivors

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Survivorship and Quality of Life".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2026) | Viewed by 4681

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Claire Jungyoun Han

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
2. The Ohio State University–James: Cancer Treatment and Research Center, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Interests: cancer survivors; gastrointestinal (GI) cancers; chemotoxicity and symptom management; hospice and palliative care in vulnerable cancer populations; cancer health disparities in cancer survivorship
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The landscape of cancer survivorship is rapidly evolving, marked by a substantial increase in the number of individuals living beyond their cancer diagnosis. Globally, it is estimated that there are over 20 million cancer survivors, a number projected to grow due to advancements in early detection and treatment modalities (American Cancer Society, 2023). This burgeoning population underscores the importance of addressing health disparities that persist among different socio-demographic groups of survivors. Despite progress in oncology care, disparities in health outcomes such as quality of life, symptom management, caregiver burden, facilitating return to normal life and work, cancer rehabilitation, and access to supportive services remain prevalent among cancer survivors. This Special Issue will feature original research and reviews that advance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of health disparities and propose solutions to improve these disparities among cancer survivors across diverse populations.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Current Oncology.

Dr. Claire Jungyoun Han
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer survivorship
  • quality of life
  • social behavioral determinants of health (SBDH)
  • health disparities
  • symptom management

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 2602 KB  
Article
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Second Primary Lung Cancer After Breast Radiotherapy: A SEER Cohort Analysis (2000–2022)
by Fares A. Qtaishat, Mohammad Hamad, Adham Musa, Theeb Natsheh, Othman Al-Barghouthi, Basil A. Abusalameh, Anas A. Younis, Hamzeh Al-Qarallah, Sara Qutaishat, Matthew P. Banegas, H. Irene Su, Winta T. Mehtsun and Tala Al-Rousan
Cancers 2026, 18(4), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18040635 - 15 Feb 2026
Viewed by 736
Abstract
Background: Adjuvant radiation therapy for breast cancer improves survival but may expose thoracic organs to low-dose radiation, increasing the risk of second primary lung cancer (SPLC). Racial and ethnic disparities and social factors influencing SPLC risk remain underexplored. Objectives: We quantified racial and [...] Read more.
Background: Adjuvant radiation therapy for breast cancer improves survival but may expose thoracic organs to low-dose radiation, increasing the risk of second primary lung cancer (SPLC). Racial and ethnic disparities and social factors influencing SPLC risk remain underexplored. Objectives: We quantified racial and ethnic differences in SPLC incidence and survival among radiotherapy-treated breast cancer survivors and assessed the potential protective role of marital status. Methods: Using SEER-17 (2000–2022), we identified patients with first primary breast cancer receiving radiotherapy, excluding those who died within two months. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) assessed observed versus expected SPLC cases by race and ethnicity and marital status, and five-year overall survival (OS) after SPLC and mean age at death were calculated. Racial categories included White, Black, Asian or Pacific Islander (API), and American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN); ethnicity was categorized as Hispanic or non-Hispanic. Results: Among 558,493 patients, 6674 developed SPLC (1.19%). Risk varied significantly by race (p < 0.05). AI/AN patients had the highest overall risk (SIR 1.82), particularly 12–59 months and ≥120 months post-treatment. Black (SIR 1.21) and API (SIR 1.23) survivors had sustained elevated risk, while White survivors showed no overall increase (SIR 0.96) and Hispanic survivors had lower risk (SIR 0.72). Married individuals had 12% lower SPLC incidence (SIR 0.88). Five-year overall survival after SPLC was 28.0%, with significant variation by race and ethnicity (p = 0.002). API (32.2%) and AI/AN (32.5%) patients had the highest survival, followed by White (28.0%) and Black patients (25.6%). Married patients had higher five-year survival (31.8% vs. 25.0%) and older mean age at death (64.3 vs. 48.6 years) compared to unmarried patients. Conclusions: SPLC risk and prognosis after breast radiotherapy differ by race, ethnicity, and marital status. These findings highlight the importance of context-aware survivorship counseling and support the consideration of personalized lung cancer screening for breast cancer survivors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Disparities and Outcomes in Cancer Survivors)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 651 KB  
Article
Geographic Disparities in Survival After Surgery for Metastatic Bone Disease: A Retrospective Analysis from a German Sarcoma Centre
by Wolfram Weschenfelder, Paula Maria Nickl, Friederike Weschenfelder, Christian Spiegel, Karin Gabriela Schrenk, Thomas Ernst and Mark Lenz
Cancers 2025, 17(22), 3664; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17223664 - 15 Nov 2025
Viewed by 589
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Metastatic bone disease (MBD) poses an increasing challenge in orthopaedic oncology due to prolonged survival. While clinical prognostic factors are well established, the role of socio-economic determinants remains unclear, particularly within universal healthcare systems. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 243 patients who underwent [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Metastatic bone disease (MBD) poses an increasing challenge in orthopaedic oncology due to prolonged survival. While clinical prognostic factors are well established, the role of socio-economic determinants remains unclear, particularly within universal healthcare systems. Methods: We retrospectively analysed 243 patients who underwent surgery for MBD (excluding spine) between 2005 and 2024 at a German sarcoma centre. Socio-economic indicators were derived from national databases and linked to patients’ residential districts. Survival was analysed using Kaplan–Meier estimates and Cox regression, adjusting for clinical confounders. Results: Median postoperative survival was 22 months. Several socio-economic indicators—income, education, and employment—were associated with survival in univariate analysis. In multivariate models, only residential area size remained independently significant (p = 0.047). Patients from villages (<2000 inhabitants) and large cities (>100,000) had poorer survival than those from small or medium-sized towns. This effect persisted after adjustment for tumour type, pathological fractures, and year of surgery. Conclusions: Within a universal healthcare system, residential area size was associated with survival after surgery for MBD, suggesting that regional disparities may persist despite equal formal access to care. Further studies integrating individual-level socioeconomic data are needed to identify mechanisms and guide interventions to reduce geographic inequalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Disparities and Outcomes in Cancer Survivors)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 1153 KB  
Article
Counties with Low Employment and Education Status Are Associated with Higher Age-Adjusted Cancer Mortality
by Minu Ponnamma Mohan, Joel B. Epstein, Kapil S. Meleveedu, Roberto Pili and Poolakkad S. Satheeshkumar
Cancers 2025, 17(12), 2051; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17122051 - 19 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1136
Abstract
Background: This study aims to evaluate the potential relationship between county-level social determinants of health (SDOH)—specifically education and job status—and cancer mortality. Methods: We utilized Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) data from the Agency for Healthcare Quality (AHRQ) 2015 county database for [...] Read more.
Background: This study aims to evaluate the potential relationship between county-level social determinants of health (SDOH)—specifically education and job status—and cancer mortality. Methods: We utilized Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) data from the Agency for Healthcare Quality (AHRQ) 2015 county database for a cross-sectional study investigating the primary independent variables—low education and low employment status—and the outcome of cancer mortality. Results: Out of 3134 counties, 906 exhibited poor employment levels, while 467 showed low educational attainment. The age-adjusted cancer death rate for non-low-education counties was 172.90 [157.00, 188.40], but for low-education counties it was 186.20 [161.72, 209.33], p < 0.001. Conversely, this was 169.15 [154.00, 183.50], compared to 189.80 [171.90, 207.10], p < 0.001, for counties with low employment. The adjusted analysis indicated that counties with low education levels were correlated with elevated age-adjusted cancer mortality (7.68, 95% CI: 5.06–10.31), and similarly, counties with low employment rates were linked to increased age-adjusted cancer mortality (4.69, 95% CI: 2.58–6.79). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that counties characterized by low educational attainment and poor employment levels are associated with elevated age-adjusted cancer death rates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Disparities and Outcomes in Cancer Survivors)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 309 KB  
Article
Differences in COVID-19-Related Hospitalization, Treatment, Complications, and Death by Race and Ethnicity and Area-Level Measures Among Individuals with Cancer in the ASCO Registry
by Adiba Ashrafi, Yong Lin, Angela J. Fong, Jessica Y. Islam, Tiffany C. Turner Anderson, Shridar Ganesan, Carolyn J. Heckman and Adana A. M. Llanos
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 857; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050857 - 2 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1516
Abstract
Individuals with cancer exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are more susceptible to COVID-19-related complications [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Disparities and Outcomes in Cancer Survivors)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop