Trans people in England are overlooked for important cancer screenings, says health experts

Health experts have revealed that trans patients in England are missing out on important cancer screenings.

Over the last week, health professionals from all around the world gathered at the World Cancer Congress in Geneva, Switzerland, to learn about the latest “successful cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care interventions.”

In addition to the various sessions, the event also included information about the lack of cancer screenings for trans patients.

According to a report from The Guardian, experts revealed that many trans women in England who haven’t changed their gender on their GP records have not been offered breast cancer screenings.

Trans men who have changed their gender identity on their paperwork also face a similar disadvantage, with them not being offered breast cancer or cervical cancer screenings.

Health professionals have attributed the lack of cancer screenings to England’s electronic records system, specifically how it updates a trans person’s gender.

Under the current process, trans individuals who request to change their gender are given a new NHS number and registered as new patients.

While all the medical information from their original records is transferred to their new file, information regarding their previous identities is omitted.

“Research shows that transgender people are more likely to be exposed to a number of risk factors for cancer, while their access to timely and effective care is affected by a range of complex issues,” Gemma Peters, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, explained to The Guardian.

“From screening and diagnosis through to treatment and support, it is essential that trans people get the care they need and are entitled to. The reality is that health inequities endanger lives.”  

Chief executive of the OutPatients charity, Stewart O’Callaghan, echoed similar sentiments before sharing a potential solution.

“The system needs to find a way to track trans status without removing a person’s right to privacy,” they explained to the news outlet.

“A potential solution would be having both gender and sex registered at birth on the patient record, but the latter only being accessible at a system level or by clinicians with permission. But any solution to this issue must be co-created with trans patients directly.”

The recent report comes three years after a study from the British Journal of General Practice revealed the roadblocks trans men and non-binary people face when trying to access cervical cancer screenings.

The data, which was shared by The Independent in 2021, revealed that 47% of the 137 trans men and non-binary people surveyed felt like they weren’t given “sufficient information” about the test.

Some of the surveyed individuals also highlighted the struggles they faced when attempting to request a cervical cancer screening. 

“I changed my gender marker to male, so I am not invited at all anymore,” one person said.

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