According to a study by the American Cancer Society, the survival gap between rural and urban women has nearly tripled in recent years.
The study, which will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, found that breast cancer death rates in rural regions exceeded those in metropolitan areas between 2018 and 2023. This is a reversal from 1995 to 1999, when rural women were less likely to die from breast cancer than their urban counterparts.
Breast Cancer Survival Gap Widens
Jingxuan Zhao, principal scientist of health services research at the American Cancer Society, said that the widening gap is a concern, especially given the improvements in breast cancer detection and treatment. “What stands out is not simply that women in rural communities experienced worse breast cancer survival, but that the gap widened over time,” Zhao said.
The second study tracked over 2.8 million women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2023 and found that women in rural areas had a 9.3% higher rate of breast cancer death in 2017 to 2023, up from 3.4% higher in 2010 to 2016. Zhao attributed this to longer travel distances, fewer oncology specialists, and limited access to screening, diagnosis, and treatment services in rural areas.
Experts say that the barriers faced by patients in rural areas are a growing concern. Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, urged lawmakers to support policies that improve access to full and affordable health insurance, as well as strong networks of healthcare professionals.
Addressing the Challenges
Lacasse emphasized that a person’s ZIP code should not determine their cancer outcome.
The findings of these studies will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Care Symposium in Boston. For more information on rural cancer care delivery in the U.S., visit the American Society of Clinical Oncology website.