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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Cancer

Acute Care Utilization Patterns During Chemotherapy and Predictive Model Development at a Rural Community Cancer Center
Explores the development of a predictive model focused on identifying oncology patients at risk of all-cause and preventable acute care use, utilizing EHR data of 2,922 patients who received intravenous cancer treatment between October 2021 and April 2024 in a predominantly rural, midwestern cancer network. Provides data on the association between acute care use and clinical and demographic factors, including level of rurality.
Author(s): McKenna Perrin, Crystal Hattum, Jamie Arens, Tobias Meissner
Citation: JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, 9, e2500186
Date: 11/2025
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Leveraging the Rural-Urban Commuting Area Tool to Address Geographic Disparities in Cancer Care: A Dual-Application Framework for Institutional and National Initiatives
Details an open-access Rural-Urban Community Area (RUCA) tool to standardize patients' geographic coding in cancer disparities research by integrating RUCA codes with census tract and electronic health record system data. Provides data on the tool's application, utilizing 2023 cancer registry data provided by Wake Forest Cancer Center in North Carolina.
Author(s): Meredith C.B. Adams, Cody L. Hudson, Matthew L. Perkins, Robert W. Hurley, Umit Topaloglu
Citation: JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, 9, e2500122
Date: 11/2025
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Missed Opportunities for Tobacco Dependence Treatment among U.S. Veterans Referred for Lung Cancer Screening: An Observational Cohort Study
Analyzes rates at which tobacco dependence treatment (TDT) is provided to veterans who use tobacco and were referred for lung cancer screening (LCS) at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and associated clinics in the upper Midwest between September 2022 and September 2023. Breaks down clinical and demographic factors associated with TDT use, including rurality.
Author(s): Anne C. Melzer, Adam Kaplan, Megan Campbell, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 59, 103263
Date: 11/2025
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Comparing Trends in Telemedicine Use and Geographic Disparities in Utilization among Patients with Cancer in the United States
Analyzes how telemedicine use varied by rurality among patients with lung or colon cancer during the early COVID-19 pandemic, using 2020-2021 Medicare fee-for-service claims data. Includes data on the use of telehealth, in-person, and emergency department services.
Author(s): Matthew Mackwood, Qianfei Wang, Tor D. Tosteson, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 22(7), 1331-1340
Date: 10/2025
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ASCO State of Cancer Care in America Special Report 2025: Access to Cancer Clinical Trials in the United States
Reports on the value of clinical trials for cancer treatment, barriers to cancer clinical trial access, and state of federally funded cancer research infrastructure in 2025. Includes discussion of rural communities, among other demographic groups.
Author(s): Erin P. Balogh, Laura A. Levit, Joseph M. Unger, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 21, 1746-1758
Date: 10/2025
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2025 Snapshot: State of the Hematology and Medical Oncologist Workforce in America
Infographic providing statistics and data on hematology and medical oncology workforce characteristics and geography in 2025. Highlights rural shortages in current and projected oncologist supply.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 21, 1774
Date: 10/2025
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Cervical Cancer in Arkansas 2025 Data Update
Offers surveillance data for cervical cancer in Arkansas. Discusses risk factors, screening recommendations, mortality, vaccination, and Arkansas-specific trends over time. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): Daniela Ramirez Aguilar
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Department of Health
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Rural Women Choose Self-Sampling over a Pelvic Exam for Cervical Cancer Screening: A Mixed-Method Study
Examines factors related to cervical cancer screening methods in an underserved, rural population in Michigan. Utilizes mixed methods to analyze demographics, barriers, and perspectives related to self-sampling screenings.
Author(s): Timothy C Guetterman, Alexandra Vinson, Matthew Stack, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes Control, 36(12), 2023-2037
Date: 10/2025
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Strength in Community: Native Youth Leading HPV Cancer Prevention
Discusses the Southeastern American Indian Cancer Health Equity Partnership (SAICEP), a cancer prevention initiative focused on addressing cancer burdens through partnerships with North Carolina's tribal nations and urban Indian organizations. Details SAICEP's current initiative to encourage youth cancer prevention advocacy, including strategies related to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, tobacco use reduction, and sun safety.
Author(s): Ryan Dial
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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Trends in Pancreatic Cancer Mortality among US Adults, 1999–2023
Analyzes trends in pancreatic cancer mortality by demographic group, utilizing 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, among other factors.
Author(s): Tianxing Wu, Zhongliu Bian, Nan Qin, Jingtao Chen
Citation: BMC Gastroenterology, 25, 768
Date: 10/2025
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