Racial Diversity in Cancer Models: A Call to Action for Nanomedicine Researchers

Global cancer incidence is projected to surge by 47% from 2020 to 2040, exacerbating existing healthcare disparities, particularly among ethnically diverse women. This article examines the urgent need for equitable therapeutic innovation in cancer care, focusing on the lack of diversity in preclinical cancer models. Our analysis of the top 50 cited papers on gynecological cancers in nanomedicine reveals an overreliance on cell lines predominantly of European origin, raising questions about the generalizability of findings. Using the Estimated Cell Line Ancestry database, we further explore the underrepresentation of equity deserving groups in available cancer cell lines while highlighting challenges and strategies that can be employed to address this growing issue.