Cancer in the LGBT Communities Summit and Action Plan

The Network for LGBT Health Equity, the National LGBT Cancer Network, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Callen Lorde co-organized the first Cancer in the LGBT Communities Summit to develop an action plan to decrease disparities, and improve care across the cancer continuum (prevention, screening, treatment, survivorship) in LGBT populations. Over 2 days, 60 leaders in LGBT cancer research, policy, care and advocacy met to identify gaps in the care continuum for LGBT peoples, and define action steps to close these gaps. Day One: Attendees were divided into subgroups: (1) researchers, care providers, survivor/ advocates, and policy makers; (2) prevention, screening, diagnosis/ treatment, and survivorship;  (3) Lesbians/ Bisexual Women, Gay/ Bisexual Men, and Transgender people. Day Two: attendees analyzed Day One findings, developed a conceptual statement about methodology and overarching concepts, and organized information into metathemes. Attendees recognized disparities, intersectional complexity, expanding presumptions around sexual orientation and gender identity (SO/GI), visibility and recognition of LGBT peoples across policy, research and care at the core of addressing cancer in the LGBT communities. The meta-themes which emerged were (1) definitions (LGBT as a minority and a medically underserved population at the federal level) (2) increasing inclusion (in policy, leadership, workforce, and develop public sector collaborations) (3) research (increase evidence based research leading to clinical trials, develop LGBT-specific theoretical frameworks, SO/GI inclusion in longitudinal studies) (4) data collection (SO/GI inclusion in existing surveillance methods) (5) care and (6) education. This presentation will provide an in depth review of the proceedings and action plan.