Cancer researchers who focus on disparities say recent federal funding and policy changes are disrupting their work and threatening progress in a critical area of public health. According to a survey cited by NPR, 93% of researchers studying cancer disparities said they have been affected, with many reporting that funding has become more difficult to secure.

The field examines why some groups are more likely to develop cancer or die from it than others. The report highlights persistent gaps, including higher overall cancer death rates among rural Americans, and it notes that Black women also face significantly worse outcomes in some cases. Researchers say understanding and reducing those differences requires sustained support, long-term studies and community-based work.

Scientists in this area worry that instability in federal backing could delay projects, shrink research capacity and slow efforts to identify the causes behind unequal cancer outcomes. When studies are interrupted or grants become harder to obtain, researchers say it can be more difficult to track trends, test interventions and build partnerships with affected communities.

The concern is that setbacks in cancer disparities research may have consequences beyond academia. If progress slows, the groups already carrying a heavier cancer burden could wait longer for better prevention, screening and treatment strategies designed to close those gaps.