Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Survivorship.
Charles Kamen
PMID 29275016WHAT IT FOUND
LGBT cancer survivors reported fear of discrimination, disclosure stress, and chosen family exclusion.
Ask about identity, chosen family, and sexuality or fertility needs.
Key findings
01Cited studies found lesbian and bisexual women with breast cancer had poorer health-related quality of life, and gay men with cancer reported more days of poor mental health, than heterosexual counterparts.
02In an internet-based survey, 77% of LGBT respondents said friends were part of their personal and emotional support during cancer diagnosis and treatment; 62% said partner, 40% parents, and 40% siblings. Among participants who had come out, 58% did so to correct a heterosexual or gendered assumption made by their provider.
03Survivors described fear that disclosing LGBT identity could compromise care, and partners or chosen family were sometimes treated as friends rather than caregivers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a narrative review, not an original study with reported methods or a primary outcome. The internet-based survey percentages are reported without the number of respondents or sampling details. The cited studies focus mainly on lesbian/bisexual women and gay men, so trans* and non-binary survivor experiences are less represented. The recommendations are author suggestions, not tested interventions shown to improve survivorship outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the recommendations as evidence that inclusive provider practices improve survivorship outcomes. The paper reports survivor experiences and prior literature, but it does not test cultural competence, referral lists, or tailored programs.