Breast Cancer Outcomes in Intersex Individuals in the National Cancer Database

Kelley Chan; Lauren Cohen; Joseph  Cotler; Elizabeth  Carthcart-Rake; Adeline Berry; Alison  May Berner; Chandler S.  Cortina

doi:10.1245/s10434-026-20027-2

Breast Cancer Outcomes in Intersex Individuals in the National Cancer Database

Kelley Chan, Lauren Cohen, Joseph Cotler, Elizabeth Carthcart-Rake, Adeline Berry, Alison May Berner, Chandler S. Cortina

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Up to 2% of the population is intersex, defined as individuals whose reproductive and/or sexual anatomy does not align with the historical definitions of male and female.1 Intersex characteristics often originate from chromosomal and inherited genetic variants (e.g., Klinefelter syndrome and Turner syndrome).1 Some may receive hormone replacement therapy,2,3,4 and while there are disparate outcomes in transgender/nonbinary/gender-diverse (TGD) patients with breast cancer,5 there are no cohorts examining intersex individuals. We aimed to explore patient demographics, tumor clinicopathologic features, treatment, and overall survival (OS) among patients with breast cancer and intersex characteristics in the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Original language	English
Number of pages	5
Journal	Annals of Surgical Oncology
Early online date	20 Jun 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-026-20027-2
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 20 Jun 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 5 Gender Equality
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

Access to Document

10.1245/s10434-026-20027-2Licence: Unspecified

AAMAccepted author manuscript, 421 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{cc324339fbf44b78be42bbb8fad33e22,

title = "Breast Cancer Outcomes in Intersex Individuals in the National Cancer Database",

abstract = "Up to 2\% of the population is intersex, defined as individuals whose reproductive and/or sexual anatomy does not align with the historical definitions of male and female.1 Intersex characteristics often originate from chromosomal and inherited genetic variants (e.g., Klinefelter syndrome and Turner syndrome).1 Some may receive hormone replacement therapy,2,3,4 and while there are disparate outcomes in transgender/nonbinary/gender-diverse (TGD) patients with breast cancer,5 there are no cohorts examining intersex individuals. We aimed to explore patient demographics, tumor clinicopathologic features, treatment, and overall survival (OS) among patients with breast cancer and intersex characteristics in the National Cancer Database (NCDB).",

keywords = "intersex, breast cancer, oncology, healthcare, LGBTQIA+, Cancer",

author = "Kelley Chan and Lauren Cohen and Joseph Cotler and Elizabeth Carthcart-Rake and Adeline Berry and \{May Berner\}, Alison and Cortina, \{Chandler S.\}",

year = "2026",

month = jun,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1245/s10434-026-20027-2",

language = "English",

journal = "Annals of Surgical Oncology",

issn = "1068-9265",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Breast Cancer Outcomes in Intersex Individuals in the National Cancer Database

AU - Chan, Kelley

AU - Cohen, Lauren

AU - Cotler, Joseph

AU - Carthcart-Rake, Elizabeth

AU - Berry, Adeline

AU - May Berner, Alison

AU - Cortina, Chandler S.

PY - 2026/6/20

Y1 - 2026/6/20

N2 - Up to 2% of the population is intersex, defined as individuals whose reproductive and/or sexual anatomy does not align with the historical definitions of male and female.1 Intersex characteristics often originate from chromosomal and inherited genetic variants (e.g., Klinefelter syndrome and Turner syndrome).1 Some may receive hormone replacement therapy,2,3,4 and while there are disparate outcomes in transgender/nonbinary/gender-diverse (TGD) patients with breast cancer,5 there are no cohorts examining intersex individuals. We aimed to explore patient demographics, tumor clinicopathologic features, treatment, and overall survival (OS) among patients with breast cancer and intersex characteristics in the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

AB - Up to 2% of the population is intersex, defined as individuals whose reproductive and/or sexual anatomy does not align with the historical definitions of male and female.1 Intersex characteristics often originate from chromosomal and inherited genetic variants (e.g., Klinefelter syndrome and Turner syndrome).1 Some may receive hormone replacement therapy,2,3,4 and while there are disparate outcomes in transgender/nonbinary/gender-diverse (TGD) patients with breast cancer,5 there are no cohorts examining intersex individuals. We aimed to explore patient demographics, tumor clinicopathologic features, treatment, and overall survival (OS) among patients with breast cancer and intersex characteristics in the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

KW - intersex

KW - breast cancer

KW - oncology

KW - healthcare

KW - LGBTQIA+

KW - Cancer

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105042381757

U2 - 10.1245/s10434-026-20027-2

DO - 10.1245/s10434-026-20027-2

M3 - Article

SN - 1068-9265

JO - Annals of Surgical Oncology

JF - Annals of Surgical Oncology

ER -

Breast Cancer Outcomes in Intersex Individuals in the National Cancer Database

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Intersex, Ageing, and Intersectionalities: Applying Western Intersex Hermeneutics to Intersex Lived Experience

Intersex, Variations of Sex Characteristics, DSD: Critical Approaches

Navigating the complexities of adult healthcare for individuals with variations of sex characteristics: from paediatric emergencies to a sense of abandonment

Ageing in obscurity: a critical literature review regarding older intersex people

Breast Cancer Outcomes Among Intersex Individuals in the National Cancer Database

Cite this

Breast Cancer Outcomes in Intersex Individuals in the National Cancer Database

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Research output

Intersex, Ageing, and Intersectionalities: Applying Western Intersex Hermeneutics to Intersex Lived Experience

Intersex, Variations of Sex Characteristics, DSD: Critical Approaches

Navigating the complexities of adult healthcare for individuals with variations of sex characteristics: from paediatric emergencies to a sense of abandonment

Ageing in obscurity: a critical literature review regarding older intersex people

Activities

Breast Cancer Outcomes Among Intersex Individuals in the National Cancer Database

Cite this