Closing the gender gap in cancer research: Why the gap exists and what's being done to fix it

When you're trying to solve a complex problem, the more voices you have at the table, the better. This is true in all areas of academia and scientific research, and especially true in cancer research, where the problems are notoriously complicated. Why then are women so underrepresented in cancer research roles—and how do we get more women at the table?

The gender gap in cancer research is nothing new. Worldwide, women make up just 30% of scientific researchers, and only one-fifth of all countries can claim gender parity in research fields.

Gender inequality in cancer research is a problem that has far reaching consequences, not just for female scientists who are looking to excel in their careers but for society as a whole. Fewer women in cancer research roles means a lack of diversity of opinion and expertise. It could also mean that women are underrepresented in clinical trials and drug development, especially when funding is coming from the private sector.

Reducing the cancer research gender gap may be an uphill battle, but it's a necessary one. And many have already joined the fight.

“In research we call it a 'leaky pipeline,'” said Lynne Elmore, PhD, director of the Translational Cancer Research Program at the American Cancer Society. “The gender gap widens as women move along their career trajectory.”

There are systemic problems that female cancer researchers face. “Women tend to be paid less. They tend to be promoted less. They tend to be awarded fewer grants and the amount of money in their grants tends to be less,” Dr. Elmore said.

But there are also problems with retention, she added—the further up the ladder you go with cancer academia and research, the fewer women you tend to see.

It's a cycle that's rather common, not just in cancer research but across the academic field. Fewer women on panels and in leadership positions means fewer women seeing that it's possible to progress to that point, as well as fewer women having opportunities to work with female mentors. Meanwhile, the responsibility for dependents at home—including children and aging parents—often falls in women's laps, requiring them to abandon full pursuit of their careers.

We all stand to benefit from bringing more women into the fold.

“When you have diversity on teams you are more likely to have creative, innovative solutions,” Dr. Elmore said. Diversity comes in many forms, she explained, including diversity of expertise, diversity of culture and work styles, and of course, diversity of gender.

Encouraging more women to enter the cancer research field—and retaining them once they get there—requires a multi-faceted approach that actively works to plug the leaky pipeline. And support is coming from various angles. At the American Cancer Society, for example, their ResearcHERS: Women Fighting Cancer campaign is seeking to funnel grant money to women in cancer research and minimize the gaps in funding that serve as barriers to many female researchers. They’re also enlisting female healthcare leaders as ambassadors in this work.

 “The fight against cancer is something that is near and dear to my heart – both professionally and personally,” said Tiffany Olson, president of Cardinal Health’s Nuclear & Precision Health Solutions business division. “So I’m really proud to serve as a ResearcHERS ambassador, knowing that this work supports critical research that could find our next big breakthrough.”

There's a ripple effect to providing funding for female-led cancer research, Dr. Elmore said. While it's certainly about dollars and cents, it's also about driving more awareness to the great work that women are doing in the field and providing the boost they need to get published, get tenured, and go on to lead fruitful careers.

Academic institutions have a role to play as well, heralding their female leaders and highlighting the possibilities that are available to all. There is also a need for more women on research panels, as well as funding and policies that support women outside of their careers.

“Across organizations, we know that increased diversity leads to more innovation,” Olson added. “We’ve championed that message at Cardinal Health and support the healthcare field in finding more ways to help women succeed and advance their careers.” 

Fortunately, things are already looking up.

In the U.S., female academic oncology faculty now approaches 40%, and more female researchers are being represented on panels. It's a boon for women in the field, and for cancer patients. A future with more female cancer researchers is a future with less bias in research, less gender disparity in clinical trials, and more treatment innovation.

“In an ideal scenario, we would just be having research teams that are diverse in all the ways you can imagine,” Dr. Elmore said. And while it takes deliberate actions in the present, there's hope that one day seeing more women in cancer research will just be the norm.