“Below their notice”: Exploring women's subjective experiences of cancer system exclusion

Background. The experiences that marginalized breast cancer populations have in common are rarely considered. Methods. The authors look across 3 qualitative studies to explore the experiences of older, lower-income, and Aboriginal women diagnosed with cancer and treated by the cancer care system in Ontario, Canada. Results. The research examines critical moments in participants' narratives that parallel one another and are categorized within 2 themes: Not Getting Cancer Care and Not Getting Supportive Care. Conclusions. Although exploratory, the findings merit attention both for what they tell us about women's experiences, and because they suggest disparities in access to treatment and psychosocial support.