Beyond race and ethnicity: a scoping review of supportive care needs and barriers for immigrant AYA cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: To map the current literature regarding the unmet supportive care needs, structural barriers, and healthcare transition challenges faced by immigrant adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors.

METHODS

Following JBI methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across major databases (including PubMed and Embase) to identify peer-reviewed studies focusing on foreign-born or immigrant AYA cancer survivors (aged 15-39) and their long-term survivorship experiences.

RESULTS

Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Immigrant AYAs face a compounding matrix of linguistic, financial, and legal barriers that limit healthcare access. The transition from pediatric to adult oncology highlights a profound disconnect between individualistic Western healthcare models and collectivist, family-centered decision-making norms. Furthermore, post-migration acculturation processes sometimes erode baseline healthy behaviors, worsening financial toxicity and long-term psychosocial outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Current survivorship frameworks fail to adequately account for the migratory process, often conflating immigration status with broad racial categories. Systemic changes are required in oncology research to capture granular data on nativity and length of residency to expose and address these hidden disparities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Culturally responsive survivorship programs, dedicated language services, and family-inclusive patient navigation models are essential to prevent care attrition, reduce post-treatment social stigma, and ultimately optimize the long-term quality of life for immigrant AYA survivors.