Supporting black Veterans with cancer, and their families

Cancer is a tough battle that affects millions of individuals and families all around the world regardless of their cultural, ethnic or geographic background. Through the National Oncology Program, and reignited by the Cancer Moonshot initiative, VA continues to lead the charge to overcome these challenges with equitable and best-in-class cancer care for Veterans across the country.

VA aims to raise awareness and provide support to Black Veterans and their loved ones who may be at-risk or in the midst of a cancer journey. VA is prioritizing targeted outreach to historically underserved communities and programs that actively work to reduce barriers to our best-in-class cancer care.

Understanding the disparities

While progress in achieving equity for our Black and other minority Veteran populations has been made, we acknowledge there are still opportunities to enhance outcomes, personalize treatments and create positive health care experiences. We approach this responsibility with utmost seriousness.

Health disparities, including those related to cancer, continue to disproportionately affect minority populations, with Black Veterans facing higher rates of certain cancers and worse outcomes compared even to other racial groups.

However, in many cases, Veterans who receive cancer treatment at VA experience superior outcomes compared to those who seek treatment elsewhere. For example, when Black Veterans come to VA for their prostate cancer screening and care, they have significantly better outcomes than those using private health care services.

Dr. Brent Rose, radiation oncologist at the University of California at San Diego, along with his research team, found in a VA study that “among patients treated at VA where all patients have equal access to care, African American men did not appear to have more-aggressive prostate cancer at the time of diagnosis or a higher death rate from the disease than non-Hispanic white men.”

On the other hand, we know that colorectal cancer screening for Black Veterans lags that of their white peers even as Veterans are screened more routinely than their civilian counterparts. 

We aim to bring attention to these disparities and encourage proactive steps toward prevention, early detection and improved access to quality cancer care.

The importance of knowledge and prevention

Awareness and education play a pivotal role in the fight against cancer. By providing the latest guidelines about cancer prevention, risk factors and early detection methods, VA strives to empower Black Veterans and their families to make informed decisions about their health. This includes highlighting the importance of a healthy lifestyle, smoking cessation, regular exercise and a well-balanced diet in reducing the risk of cancer.

VA also provides cutting edge testing that can help identify a patient’s genetic predisposition to certain cancers. VA offers testing for Lynch Syndrome. As colorectal cancer disproportionately affects the Black community, where the rates are the highest of any racial/ethnic group in the U.S., testing for Lynch Syndrome is critical as it can be an indicator of increased cancer risk.

People with Lynch Syndrome may be at an increased risk for multiple cancer types, such as uterus (endometrium), ovaries, stomach, small bowel, pancreas, kidneys, brain, ureters (tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder) and bile duct.

Supporting black Veterans and their families

Cancer affects not only the individual diagnosed but also their entire support network, including family, friends, caregivers and fellow Veterans. It is crucial we emphasize the availability of support services tailored to the unique needs of Veterans and their families.

Families and caregivers may utilize VA’s Respite Care, which pays for care for a short time when family caregivers need a break, need to run errands or need to go out of town for a few days. Respite Care can be helpful to Veterans of all ages and their caregiver.

Veterans are strongly encouraged to talk to their VA provider about the need for different cancer screenings and what screening options are available.

To learn more about cancer care at VA, visit cancer.va.gov. Visit My HealtheVet to learn tips and tools to help you partner with your health care team, so together you may work to manage your health.