Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
182,549 studies31 sourcesUpdated 24 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Cancers

Understanding Ethnic Inequalities in Cancer Diagnosis in UK Primary Care: A Narrative Review

  • Liz Down1
  • Melissa Barlow1
  • Sarah E. R. Bailey1
  • Auguster Irabor1
  • Callum Webb2
  • Luke T. A. Mounce1
  • Samuel W. D. Merriel3
  • Jessica Watson4
  • Ge Chen1
  • Lucy Kirkland1
  • Tanimola Martins1
4 affiliations
  1. 1Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care (APEx), University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4SB, UK
  2. 2Genetics of Complex Traits (GOCT) Group, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4SB, UK
  3. 3Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9QQ, UK
  4. 4Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC), University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Ethnic inequalities in cancer incidence and outcomes are widespread, although the evidence available for people in the UK is more limited than in some other countries. This narrative review details the current evidence relating to ethnicity and differences in primary care cancer diagnosis in the UK and possible contributing factors. In general, cancer rates are higher for White individuals than for Asian or Black individuals in the UK, but for some cancer sites, the inverse is true. There are also differences in stage at diagnosis by ethnic group for some cancer sites. The routes through which cancer inequalities emerge are complex and difficult to attribute to a single patient characteristic. A variety of social, demographic, genetic and health service factors interact to influence outcomes. There is a wide research base demonstrating that Asian and Black individuals in the UK can experience a range of obstacles when interacting with health care services, including cancer investigations. Future research evidence and health service planning needs to include a diverse range of stakeholders in order to decrease cancer inequalities.

Related

  1. Ethnic inequalities in kidney function and progression to advanced CKD in T2D: a primary care study
    T S Alobaid, J Karalliedde, M O’connell +1
    The European Journal of Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0Full textGeneral medicinePMCEurope PMC
  2. Diagnosis and selection of surgical approaches for synchronous multiple primary lung cancer: a narrative review
    Journal of thoracic diseasePeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  3. Understanding interpretations of credibility, health literacy and health information seeking in Black and South Asian ethnic communities in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study
    Tushna Vandrevala, Kristin Hanson, Celayne Heaton-Shrestha +2
    PLOS OnePeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textEpidemiology & public healthPLOS
  4. Beyond Access: Ethnic inequalities in well-being and the role of perceived environmental health
    KA Brown, T Vandrevala, T Barber +4
    The European Journal of Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0Full textPharmacology & toxicologyPMCEurope PMC
  5. Ethnic Inequalities in Breastfeeding among Roma and Non-Roma Women in Hungary
    Z V Veroszta, L S Szabó
    The European Journal of Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC 4.0Full textEpidemiology & public healthPMCEurope PMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{down2026understanding,
  title = {{Understanding Ethnic Inequalities in Cancer Diagnosis in UK Primary Care: A Narrative Review}},
  author = {Liz Down and Melissa Barlow and Sarah E. R. Bailey and Auguster Irabor and Callum Webb and Luke T. A. Mounce and Samuel W. D. Merriel and Jessica Watson and Ge Chen and Lucy Kirkland and Tanimola Martins},
  journal = {Cancers},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3390/cancers18203300},
  url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/20/3300},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Understanding Ethnic Inequalities in Cancer Diagnosis in UK Primary Care: A Narrative Review
AU  - Liz Down
AU  - Melissa Barlow
AU  - Sarah E. R. Bailey
AU  - Auguster Irabor
AU  - Callum Webb
AU  - Luke T. A. Mounce
AU  - Samuel W. D. Merriel
AU  - Jessica Watson
AU  - Ge Chen
AU  - Lucy Kirkland
AU  - Tanimola Martins
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/01
JO  - Cancers
DO  - 10.3390/cancers18203300
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/18/20/3300
AB  - Ethnic inequalities in cancer incidence and outcomes are widespread, although the evidence available for people in the UK is more limited than in some other countries. This narrative review details the current evidence relating to ethnicity and differences in primary care cancer diagnosis in the UK and possible contributing factors. In general, cancer rates are higher for White individuals than for Asian or Black individuals in the UK, but for some cancer sites, the inverse is true. There are also differences in stage at diagnosis by ethnic group for some cancer sites. The routes through which cancer inequalities emerge are complex and difficult to attribute to a single patient characteristic. A variety of social, demographic, genetic and health service factors interact to influence outcomes. There is a wide research base demonstrating that Asian and Black individuals in the UK can experience a range of obstacles when interacting with health care services, including cancer investigations. Future research evidence and health service planning needs to include a diverse range of stakeholders in order to decrease cancer inequalities.
SN  - 2072-6694
ER  -