Ethnic inequalities in cancer risk assessment in primary care in the UK:a review

Ethnic inequalities in cancer incidence and outcomes are widespread, although the ev-idence available for people in the UK is more limited than some other countries. 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 experience a range of obstacles when in-teracting 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.