WASHINGTON, DC – According to a new American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) survey, more than half (53%) of cancer patients and survivors living in rural communities find it difficult to afford their cancer care. Half have incurred medical debt related to the costs of that care, and an overwhelming majority (70%) are concerned about incurring new medical debt due to their cancer care.
The latest Survivor Views survey shows that these cost burdens have a devastating effect. Forty-four percent of cancer patients and survivors in rural communities said the cost of their cancer care has at some point impacted their ability to buy food. Additionally, nearly a quarter (23%) have skipped or delayed recommended medical care, and the same number (23%) have skipped or delayed taking a prescribed medication.
“No one should be forced to choose between buying food and getting essential care – especially when they are already dealing with geographic barriers that can delay or limit access to that care,” said Lisa A. Lacasse, president of ACS CAN. “Access to affordable, high-quality health care that meets the patient where they are must be a priority.”
The survey shows that rural cancer patients and survivors also face challenges when it comes to accessing health care providers. Nearly 40% of rural cancer patients and survivors reported having difficulty finding health care providers in their health plan’s network where they live, and nearly a quarter (23%) report difficulty and delays in accessing care related to workforce shortages. Travel distance is also a hurdle to accessing health providers, with more than a third (37%) of cancer patients and survivors in rural communities surveyed saying they travel more than an hour to reach their primary oncology provider, and 34% have had to travel far enough from their community that they and/or their caregiver had to sleep away from home during treatment, with a majority paying for their lodging themselves.
Moreover, the survey reports that cost and access challenges for cancer patients and survivors in rural areas could translate into delaying or foregoing cancer prevention, early detection and follow up care. Survey respondents in rural areas were less likely to be up to date on receiving recommended cancer screenings. Nearly a quarter (24%) reported difficulty accessing recommended cancer screenings, compared to 20% of respondents nationwide and 16% of suburban residents. In addition, more than a quarter (27%) reported facing additional barriers to accessing any needed follow-up resulting from their cancer screening.
While cancer patients and survivors in rural areas rated the quality of the care they received in their local community below that of residents in non-rural areas, the survey found that patient navigation services could help address barriers to care and improve quality of care. Patient navigators offer tailored assistance to patients, families and caregivers to help overcome health care system barriers and facilitate timely access to quality care. Survey respondents in rural areas with access to a patient navigator were less likely to rate the cost and access challenges noted above as barriers and were more likely to rate their quality of care highly.
“When facing a cancer diagnosis, where you live shouldn’t determine if you live,” said Lacasse. “This survey underscores the need to advance policy solutions that will help improve access to high quality, affordable health care, such as sustainable funding for patient navigation services, among other interventions. This will help reduce the cancer burden for everyone, no matter where they live.”
The survey of 1,436 cancer patients and survivors nationwide who have been diagnosed with or treated for cancer in the last seven years was conducted between March 17-April 7, 2026.
Read the full polling memo.
The survey was released during ACS CAN’s 15th annual National Policy Forum on the Future of Health Care in Washington, D.C. As part of ACS CAN’s advocacy work to help ensure that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat and survive cancer, this year’s forum focuses on the unique challenges faced by cancer patients and survivors in rural communities and will explore policy solutions to address those challenges. Additional resources on ACS CAN’s work to reduce the cancer burden in rural communities can be found at https://www.fightcancer.org/rural.