Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes (Oct 2024)

Building a Cancer Care Clinic for Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals

  • Elizabeth J. Cathcart-Rake, MD,
  • Amye Tevaarwerk, MD,
  • Aminah Jatoi, MD,
  • Evelyn F. Carroll, MD,
  • NFN Scout, MA, PhD,
  • Victor G. Chedid, MD, MS,
  • Cesar A. Gonzalez, PhD,
  • Kelli Fee-Schroeder, DNP, RN, OCN,
  • Jewel M. Kling, MD, MPH,
  • Chrisandra L. Shufelt, MD, MS,
  • Jennifer L. Ridgeway, PhD,
  • Caroline Davidge-Pitts, MBBCh

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 5
pp. 443 – 450

Abstract

Read online

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people experience disparities in cancer care, including more late-stage diagnoses, worse cancer-related outcomes, and an increased number of unaddressed and more severe symptoms related to cancer and cancer-directed therapy. This article outlines plans to address the unique needs of TGD people through a TGD-focused oncology clinic. Such a clinic could be structured by upholding the following tenets: (1) champion a supportive, gender-affirming environment that seeks to continuously improve, (2) include a transdisciplinary team of specialists who are dedicated to TGD cancer care, and (3) initiate and embrace TGD-patient-centric research on health outcomes and health care delivery.