Cancer survivorship among sexual and gender minority and cisgender heterosexual individuals

Purpose To evaluate predictors of being a cancer survivor among those aged 45–64 and 65–80 years and inclusive of sexual and gender minority (SGM) status using a national population-based study dataset. Methods Behavioral Risk Factor and Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey used 2021 data. Descriptive statistics describe the study population characteristics. Logistic regression models, adjusting for known or suspected risk factors, evaluate participant characteristics, including SGM status, stratified by male and females and by 2 age groups (45–64 years, 65 + years) associated with being a cancer survivor. Results BRFSS data comprise 88,839 females (12,400 female cancer survivors) and 72,389 males (8,558 male cancer survivors). Being older, reported poor health, having multiple chronic conditions were associated with increased odds and being Black or Hispanic was associated with lower odds of being a cancer survivor. In women being overweight/obese was associated with increased odds of being a cancer survivor, and for men binge drinking was associated with lower odds of being a cancer survivor. Those identifying as SGM had similar odds of being a cancer survivor. Conclusions These findings underscore the complex interplay of demographic and health-related factors in predicting cancer survivorship status, highlighting the need for targeted interventions that address differences across sex, ethnicity, and health behaviors.