Cancer in Sexual and Gender Minorities: Role of Oncology RNs in Health Equity

The concept of patient-centered care, despite its wide acceptance in oncology nursing, still excludes many sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals. Sexual minorities include individuals who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and gender minorities include individuals whose gender identity or expression is discordant from their sex assigned at birth (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). SGM terminology evolves as researchers study, learn, and publish about different identities and orientations. Table 1 provides current definitions for some commonly used terms.