Bridging the gap between breast cancer and disability

Disability Issues

Dr Christine Peta

BREAST Cancer Awareness Month is observed globally every October to raise awareness on breast cancer and enhance screening efforts and support in fighting the disease.

This article focuses on a critical yet often overlooked intersection of disability and breast cancer.

Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide.

Yet, within this global health crisis lies a quieter, under-researched reality — the complex relationship between breast cancer and disability. Whether disability precedes cancer diagnosis or results from its treatment, women with disabilities face unique challenges that demand urgent attention from healthcare systems, researchers and policymakers.

Compounded barriers

For women with disabilities, breast cancer diagnosis can intensify existing barriers.

Physical inaccessibility of healthcare facilities, limited diagnostic equipment suited for mobility impairments and clinician bias all contribute to delayed detection and inadequate treatment of the disease.

Women with mobility-related disabilities are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages due to these systemic gaps.

Intersectional factors — such as culture, religion, socioeconomic status and geographic location — further complicate the situation. These variables often exacerbate disparities in care, leaving women with disabilities at greater risk of poor outcomes.

Despite representing over 15 percent of the global population, persons with disabilities remain underrepresented in clinical trials and underserved in cancer screening programmes.

Disability as a consequence of cancer

Breast cancer itself can lead to disability.

Mastectomy — the surgical removal of breast tissue — is a common treatment that may result in physical impairments, altered body image and emotional distress.

Survivors often experience chronic pain, limited mobility and mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety.

These outcomes are rarely framed as disabilities, yet they significantly affect quality of life and functional independence.

Rehabilitation services can help survivors regain function and adapt to new realities, but such services are frequently inaccessible or underfunded, especially in low-resource settings.

The research gap

Despite the clear overlap between disability and breast cancer, most studies assume a non-disabled population.

This oversight perpetuates exclusion, leaving the experiences of women with disabilities undocumented and unaddressed.

There is an urgent need for research that explores how breast cancer affects women with pre-existing disabilities, how treatment outcomes differ and what support systems are most effective.

Additionally, the lack of data on women who acquire disabilities as a result of breast cancer — whether through treatment, emotional trauma or pregnancy complications — creates a critical gap in understanding and care. Assumptions about congenital disabilities in children born to breast cancer survivors remain unverified, highlighting the need for evidence-based inquiry.

Addressing these disparities requires a multi-pronged approach.

Healthcare facilities must adopt comprehensive accessibility standards to ensure diagnostic and treatment services are physically and emotionally inclusive.

Similarly, healthcare professionals need education to recognise and respond to the unique needs of patients with disabilities — not as exceptions, but as integral members of the patient population.

Rehabilitation should be integrated into cancer care as a core component of survivorship. Family- and community-based models can be especially valuable in regions with limited formal services.

Women with disabilities must be included in clinical trials to develop treatments that reflect diverse realities.

The link between disability and breast cancer is not just a medical issue — it is a matter of equity, dignity and justice.

As global health systems strive to improve cancer outcomes, they must also confront the structural and attitudinal barriers that exclude women with disabilities from full access to care. Only then can we move towards a future where survivorship is defined not by disparity, but by resilience and inclusion.

Dr Christine Peta is a disability, public health, policy, international development and research expert. She can be contacted on: [email protected]