What are the Guidelines for Trans people?
Cisgender women are easily the largest gender demographic affected by breast cancer. But literally anyone can develop the disease, including Trans people and even cisgender men.
However, when it comes to screening and early detection, transgender and gender nonconforming people are almost totally out of the picture due to very scarce data backing up guidelines for those communities.
It’s the lack of data and awareness among medical professionals that puts Trans people at risk of having breast cancer detected much later than cisgender Individuals.
Then what are the next steps for Trans people in the fight against Breast Cancer?
According to BreastCancer.Org, multiple international institutions have guidelines for the prevention of Breast Cancer in the Trans community. The problem is that they tend to be a small section within a larger document regarding Trans health. In their opinion, the American College of Radiology (ACR) has the most complete guidelines. You can check them HERE.
The TSEF recommends Trans people of all identities to discuss their need for Breast Cancer testing with their personal doctor or in spaces dedicated to LGBTQ+ health. In case you do not have access to medical care, please take a look at how to do a self-exam at BreastCancer.Org.