Oregon’s 2025 Cancer Control Plan: A Policy Shaped by Equitable Access to Health

IN A NUTSHELL
Author's Note 
The Oregon 2025 Cancer Control Plan supports equitable access to health by prioritizing cancers and preventive measures where disparities are greatest, progress has been limited, and effective interventions already exist. By targeting inequities in cancer burden, screening prevention, and early detection, the plan seeks to reduce differences in cancer outcomes among Oregon populations and improve access to services that can prevent cancer or detect it earlier

By Susan M. Severance, MPH

Public Health Researcher

Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA – sseverancepdx@gmail.com

By the same Author on PEAH: see HERE

Oregon’s 2025 Cancer Control Plan

A Policy Shaped by Equitable Access to Health

 

Oregon is in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Much of Oregon is rural and frontier communities. US states, territories, and tribes develop Cancer Control Plans funded by the federal government through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Oregon. Oregon’s current plan is titled, “Oregon Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan: A Cancer Burden Report to Guide Measurable Action” and was published in 2025. Here is a link to the plan 2025 Oregon comprehensive cancer control plan | State Library of Oregon Digital Collections . The state agency called the Oregon Health Authority and the Knight Cancer Institute of Oregon Health & Science University jointly developed the plan with a team of stakeholders and experts. The Knight Cancer Institute work was grant funded. The research work in the plan was funded by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.  

Cancer burden that includes cancer incidence and cancer mortality informed the plan focus along with health equity. Cancer health equity was assessed by looking at cancer prevention, screening, early detection, treatment access, and survivorship care in Oregon.  Inequities such as barriers to cancer care like poor access to transportation, cancer disparities like geographic location, data not inclusive like data collection limitations, and financial hardships like costs of medical care not covered by health insurance were identified. The research work informed the focus of the plan using criteria with selection of disease sites based on cancer inequities or excess burden by group, lack of measurable progress by cancer type, and existing interventions or efforts to reduce cancer burden. The result of the assessment was a concentration on five focus areas: liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancers, breast cancer, colon and rectal cancer, lung cancer, and Human Papillomavirus HPV vaccination.

 

Health equity findings and directions per the five focus areas included:

Geographic disparities

The plan states that some rural and frontier areas of Oregon experience higher cancer incidence and mortality, along with lower screening access and fewer treatment resources. Rural residents often face:

  • longer travel distances for care
  • fewer oncology specialists
  • delayed screening and diagnosis
  • reduced access to clinical trials and survivorship services

The plan repeatedly references disparities by “geography” as a core reason certain cancers became statewide priorities.

Racial and ethnic disparities

The plan says some racial and ethnic groups experience disproportionately high cancer diagnoses, deaths, or barriers to prevention and care. It specifically notes disparities among:

  • Hispanic and Latino communities
  • Tribal communities / American Indian and Alaska Native populations
  • Black Oregonians
  • Other historically underserved populations

The document emphasizes culturally responsive outreach and community partnerships as part of reducing inequities.

Disparities in cancer screening and early detection

A major equity concern in the plan is unequal access to:

  • breast cancer screening
  • colorectal cancer screening
  • lung cancer screening
  • HPV vaccination

The plan identifies lower screening and vaccination rates in some communities because of:

  • insurance barriers
  • transportation problems
  • language barriers
  • lack of culturally appropriate care
  • limited healthcare access

These disparities are one reason breast, colorectal, lung cancer, and HPV vaccination were selected as focus areas.

HPV vaccination inequities

The plan treats HPV vaccination as a cancer prevention equity issue because vaccination rates differ significantly across communities and regions. Higher vaccination rates can contribute to preventable cancers later in life.

Financial hardship and “financial toxicity”

The plan explicitly mentions “financial hardship or toxicity” as an inequity tied to cancer care. This refers to:

  • treatment costs
  • insurance gaps
  • lost wages
  • transportation and caregiving burdens

The plan says future task forces may focus specifically on reducing these barriers.

Data equity and underrepresentation

The plan also identifies “data equity” as an issue. This includes:

  • incomplete demographic data
  • undercounting of some populations
  • insufficient information on disparities
  • lack of granular race/ethnicity data

The goal is to improve measurement of inequities so interventions can be better targeted.

Access to culturally responsive care

Oregon Health & Science University materials connected to the plan state that implementation efforts include culturally responsive education and outreach, including bilingual community cancer control specialists serving Hispanic and Latino communities.

Survivorship and care coordination disparities

The plan also references inequities involving:

  • patient navigation
  • survivorship support
  • access to clinical trials
  • coordination between community and clinical systems

These areas were identified as possible future task-force priorities.

The plan mainly establishes the inequities, identifies priority cancer areas, and describes planned implementation work beginning in 2026.

Task forces will be created in 2026 per the plan and will develop measurable action plans for the five focus areas. Community involvement is key. Assistance will be provided by the Knight Cancer Institute community workers and other connections in the community.

Oregon’s previous Cancer Control Plan was developed in 2005. The Oregon 2025 Cancer Control Plan supports equitable access to health by prioritizing cancers and preventive measures where disparities are greatest, progress has been limited, and effective interventions already exist. By targeting inequities in cancer burden, screening prevention, and early detection, the plan seeks to reduce differences in cancer outcomes among Oregon populations and improve access to services that can prevent cancer or detect it earlier. Compared with other states, health equity is not as central in other plans. Other plans are more comprehensive of cancer types as opposed to concentrating mainly on four types. Other plans are more actionable where Oregon’s plan provides rationale for the focus areas and strategy going forward. Oregon task forces are in development this year to define the detailed plans and actionable steps and criteria to be met. Overall, the Oregon plan is helpful for policymakers as they develop strategies and resource allocations to fight cancer in the state of Oregon with a health equity lens.