Reducing Health Disparities

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Cancer impacts everyone, but it doesn’t impact everyone equally. We are working to ensure everyone has a fair and just opportunity to prevent, find, treat, and survive cancer. No one should be disadvantaged in their fight against cancer because of how much money they make, the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, their gender identity, their disability status, or where they live.

From ensuring greater diversity among clinical trial participants to improving access to quality, affordable health care, we are asking lawmakers to reduce disparities in cancer care by advancing policies that break down existing barriers.

Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women overall

Latest Updates

January 14, 2026
Alabama

MONTOMERY, Ala. -- Earlier today, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee passed Senate Bill 19 , which would make prostate cancer screenings more accessible and affordable for patients at high-risk for the disease. In response, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Alabama Government Relations Director Jane Adams

September 30, 2025
Massachusetts

ACS CAN presented Medford’s Marina Watanabe with the Young Leader award in recognition of her passionate advocacy and commitment to ending cancer as we know it, for everyone.

September 24, 2025
Alabama

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Patient advocacy groups including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and ZERO Prostate Cancer applaud Alabama State Sen. Steve Livingston for pre-filing Senate Bill 19 , which eliminates cost sharing for lifesaving prostate cancer screenings for those covered by state-regulated insurance. The

August 18, 2025
National

More than 100 organizations representing millions of patients with serious health conditions and health care professionals sent a letter to Congress expressing their strong support for the Clinical Trial Modernization Act. Introduced in the House of Representatives in May 2025 by Reps. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) and August Pfluger (R-FL), the bipartisan legislation would help remove cost and geographic barriers to patient participation in clinical trials.

Reducing Health Disparities Resources

The PSA Screening for HIM Act  (H.R. 1300/S. 297) would remove out-of-pocket costs for prostate cancer screening for those at highest risk for the disease. 

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) believes everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. No one should be disadvantaged in their fight against cancer because of income, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, or where they live. From preventive screening and early detection, through diagnosis and treatment, and into survivorship, there are several factors that influence cancer disparities among different populations across the cancer continuum.

Our ability to continue to make progress against cancer relies heavily on eliminating inequities that exist in breast cancer prevention and treatment. That is why ACS CAN advocates for policies to reduce the disparities in breast cancer by improving access to prevention and early detection services, patient navigation services, insurance coverage, in-network facilities, and clinical trials.