Cancer Screening for LGBTQ+ communities
Did you know that our communities have higher rates of lifestyle factors, like higher rates of drinking alcohol and smoking, increasing the risk of cancer? Our communities are also less likely to participate in some cancer screening programs than the general population.
The good news is cancer screening can detect cancer early or even before abnormalities become cancerous, resulting in much better outcomes.
Cancer screening can be confronting for sexuality and gender diverse people like us. More good news, there have been big improvements in how these tests are done (hello, self-collection!) as well as a lot more understanding about the needs of our communities.
Just like STI screening, routine cancer screening empowers you to make informed decisions about your own health and wellbeing.
Keeping up to date with cancer screening means reducing the risk of harm from cancers – and even preventing cancer entirely.
Your Cancer Screening Timeline
Cervical Screening
For ages 25-74 years, cervical screening is recommended for anyone with a cervix who has ever been sexually active (repeated every 5 years or as advised by your doctor).
Breast Screening
For ages 50-74 years, breast screening is recommended for all cis women, trans women on hormones (oestrogen) for five or more years, and anyone assigned female at birth who has not had top surgery (repeated every 2 years or as advised by your doctor).
For more information about breast screening for trans and gender diverse people visit NSW BreastScreen.
Bowel Screening
From the age of 50, bowel screening is recommended for everybody (repeated every two years or as advised by your doctor).
For personalised information about your own risk of cancer, take the In the Know quiz for LGBTQ+ community, find out more about what to expect from screening, and learn other ways to stay healthy.
Bring a letter to your GP
GP letters help do the talking so you don’t always have to.
You can download a General or more Comprehensive GP letter from our sibling site CanWe that covers:
The cervical screening guidelines for all people with a cervix regardless of other sex characteristics, gender identity, gender expression, sexuality or sexual history.
Using your correct name and pronouns
The language you prefer when talking about part of your body
Any history of trauma and/or past traumatic experiences with pap tests
