The top authorities on U.S. cancer statistics are set to classify patients’ sex strictly as male, female, or unknown, a decision that scientists and advocates argue will detrimentally affect the health of transgender individuals, a crucial demographic within the nation, reports BritPanorama.
This change is anticipated to hinder efforts to accurately track cancer diagnoses and trends among the transgender population, which has already been identified through various studies as being at a higher risk for certain health issues, including elevated tobacco use and lower rates of routine cancer screenings.
As a result of policies implemented during the Trump administration, cancer researchers indicate that only “male” and “female” sexes will be recognized in cancer registries, impacting all registries across the states and territories that receive federal funding. The new categorization will take effect in 2026, with data collected from registries funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) only reflecting these classifications.
Currently, cancer patient data includes options beyond just “male” and “female,” allowing for categories such as “other” and “transsexual.” The shift in data collection requirements follows an executive order from President Trump in January 2025, which mandated federal recognition of only male and female sexes. Eric Durbin, director of the Kentucky Cancer Registry and president of the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, noted that the federal government’s directives left states with little choice in adapting their data collection processes.
Missing the big picture
Research indicates that there is a lack of comprehensive, quality data on cancer incidence among transgender individuals, a situation that could worsen under the new regulations. Shannon Kozlovich, a member of the executive committee for the California Dialogue on Cancer, highlighted the importance of cancer registries in linking public health data to environmental factors, such as air quality and pollution, which correlate with higher lung cancer rates.
Kozlovich expressed concern that excluding parts of the population from this critical dataset would leave significant health disparities unaddressed, fundamentally undermining efforts to improve cancer outcomes.
Cancer registries serve as vital instruments for monitoring the incidence and survival rates of various cancers, fueled by data reported by hospitals and health facilities across the U.S. Two leading federal programs oversee extensive cancer statistics, with the CDC’s National Program of Cancer Registries encompassing data representing 97% of the U.S. population, while the NCI’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program includes data from nearly half the populace.
This data has been instrumental in shaping treatment and prevention strategies, leading to crucial policy changes aimed at reducing cancer rates. For example, data from cancer registries contributed to adjusting guidelines for colorectal cancer screenings to begin at age 45 instead of 50.
The implications of these data changes are compounded by state initiatives, such as those found in Texas, where the Department of State Health Services identified alarming trends in liver cancer incidence, leading to a targeted public health initiative in response to these findings.
Durbin underscored the importance of long-term tracking of cancer patients, emphasizing that continuous monitoring is essential for developing public health policies and improving survival rates.
Despite the challenges posed by current regulations, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries continues to set standards for data collection across registries, demanding compliance with specific protocols for information related to sex and demographics.
In an emailed statement, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Human Services defended the decision, stating that the policies are grounded in biological science rather than ideological agendas.
‘Backwards’ progress
The decision to eliminate transgender options from cancer patient data collection in 2026 highlights a return to previous policies influenced by the Trump administration. Kozlovich noted that researchers had been working to incorporate gender identity into cancer data classifications, which now appears at risk of reversal.
An analysis by the Williams Institute revealed that approximately 2.8 million individuals aged 13 and older in the U.S. identify as transgender. Advocates warn that health disparities, especially in cancer risks, could worsen without formal recognition of transgender identity in health data.
Studies have shown concerning trends, with transgender individuals reportedly more likely to smoke and less likely to receive timely health screenings, both contributing factors to adverse cancer outcomes. For instance, a 2022 study found that transgender populations were two to three times more likely to use tobacco than their cisgender counterparts, correlating to increased cancer risks.
Moreover, persistent health challenges for transgender individuals are illustrated in data suggesting they face barriers to necessary screenings for cancers such as breast and cervical, ultimately affecting their overall health outcomes.
Scarlett Lin Gomez from the University of California-San Francisco expressed frustration that the past decade’s progress in monitoring cancer across diverse populations is now at risk of being undone. “There’s been slow but good progress,” she noted, “but now we’ve completely regressed backwards.”
The repercussions of this policy shift extend beyond data collection. Changes under the Trump administration have included cuts to funding for cancer research focused on LGBTQ+ health and dismantling initiatives aimed at promoting health equity.
Ultimately, researchers maintain that without comprehensive data on transgender individuals, the advocacy for trans-specific health research remains starkly limited, highlighting an ongoing challenge for public health priorities.
