Keywords
Health services accessibility
Unified Health System
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Abstract
Objective: To analyze the scientific evidence on inequalities in access, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer within the Brazilian Unified Health System, considering socioeconomic, racial, regional, and structural factors. Methods: This integrative literature review was structured according to PRISMA recommendations and based on the PICO strategy. The search was conducted exclusively in the PubMed/MEDLINE database, including studies published between 2013 and 2025. Results: The studies showed that Black and mixed-race women, women with lower educational levels, and those exclusively dependent on the Brazilian Unified Health System were at greater risk of late diagnosis, therapeutic delay, and reduced access to mammographic screening. Regional inequalities were also identified in the availability of mammography, biopsies, and specialized services, as well as geographic and organizational barriers related to displacement to referral centers. Final considerations: Inequalities in breast cancer treatment in Brazil are structural and multifactorial, highlighting the need to strengthen the oncological care network, expand diagnostic capacity, and implement public policies guided by healthcare equity.
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