Social inequalities in cancer in Germany: a call to action

TL;DR

This paper highlights significant cancer inequalities in Germany linked to socioeconomic factors and calls for evidence-based actions to reduce these disparities.

Contribution

The paper synthesizes expert insights and evidence to identify barriers and propose actionable strategies for addressing cancer inequalities in Germany.

Findings

Socioeconomic inequalities affect all stages of the cancer continuum in Germany, from prevention to survivorship.

Key barriers include limited SEP data, fragmented healthcare, and lack of equity integration in cancer strategies.

International examples show that data linkage and targeted interventions can help reduce cancer inequalities.

Abstract

Social inequalities in cancer constitute a major public health challenge. A lower socioeconomic position (SEP) is consistently associated with higher exposure to cancer risk factors, lower participation in screening, more advanced stage at diagnosis, poorer survival, and adverse survivorship outcomes. In Germany, these inequalities remain insufficiently addressed in research and health policy.

This paper synthesises evidence and expert perspectives derived from a national workshop organised by the Cancer Epidemiology Working Group of the German Society for Epidemiology (DGEpi) in collaboration with the German Cancer Research Center. More than 30 experts in cancer epidemiology and social inequality research, together with international contributors, reviewed—based on existing conceptual frameworks—the German data landscape, and empirical evidence across the cancer continuum. Structural, methodological, and ethical barriers were identified, and implications for research, policy, and practice were discussed. An international comparison with Denmark was used to contextualise findings.

Available evidence demonstrates pronounced socioeconomic inequalities across nearly all stages of the cancer continuum in Germany, including prevention, screening, incidence, diagnosis, survival, and survivorship. However, major research gaps persist. Key barriers include limited availability of individual-level SEP data, reliance on area-based deprivation indices, restricted data linkage, fragmented healthcare structures, and limited integration of equity considerations into national cancer strategies. International experience shows that comprehensive registries, data linkage, and targeted interventions can reduce inequalities.

Reducing social inequalities in cancer in Germany requires coordinated and evidence-based action. Priorities include improving SEP data availability and linkage, embedding equity objectives into the National Cancer Plan, implementing targeted interventions for vulnerable groups, and strengthening intersectoral collaboration. Ethical and patient perspectives strongly support responsible use of health data to address avoidable inequalities.