Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) [
1]. Overall cancer incidence rates decreased in the most recent time period in both men and women, largely due to decreases in the 3 major cancer sites in men (lung, prostate, and colorectum) and 2 major cancer sites in women (breast and colorectum) [
2]. It has been documented that a decrease has been reached also in mortality rates, mostly due to improvements in surgical therapeutic approaches [
3‐
5]. However, different outcomes have been reported due to non-modifiable factors such age [
6,
7] and increased cancer mortality due to modifiable factors, such as the socioeconomic status, has been well documented worldwide, irrespectively of national health-care system [
8‐
10]. Social disparities in cancer survival are multidimensional and may depend on factors related to the public health care organization [
11]. These factors may regard screening, diagnosis conditions, access to specialized care, treatment or follow-up modalities, and they vary according to the health care systems [
12]. In countries where the insurance status is crucial for access and continuity of care, increased financial resources may support patients to better manage the disease [
13,
14]. Many evidences have demonstrated inequalities by socioeconomic status and race. Several studies have reported inequalities at different levels, for instance in delay of hospitalization or advanced cancer stage at diagnosis for disadvantaged groups [
15,
16]. Similar trends have been reported regarding survival of cancer patients, evidencing inequalities among lower socioeconomic classes and economically disadvantaged race and ethnicity groups [
17,
18]. Cultural disparities may depend on a different access to health information. In example, higher education has been associated with increased internet use and high eHealth literacy which is related to have increased knowledge and previous screening practice related to colorectal cancer compared to those with low eHealth literacy [
19]. A higher education and knowledge about colorectal cancer related information has been also related with an increased acceptance of colorectal cancer screening programs [
20]. On the other hand, in countries with equal access to health-care facilities, a direct economic hindrance in seeking medical health care cannot be relevant, because health-care facilities are tax-financed. Thus, socioeconomic and cultural status may act by psychosocial pathways. More acculturated people may have higher knowledge about health-related topics, be more aware of their symptoms and communicate better with health staff than low-cultural people [
21,
22]. Health risk behaviors are defined as habits or practices that increase an individual’s likelihood of harmful health outcomes. They are thought to explain, at least in part, many social inequalities in health status of populations. It has been reported that health risk behaviors, including diet, physical activity, and smoking, explain the higher frequencies of several cancers and mortality among those of lower socio-economic status [
23]. On the other hand, although many of these factors are modifiable causes of cancer, it is challenging to plan interventions acting on the specific associations between them and cancer over a lifetime, due to the long latent period for cancer development and its complex pathogenesis. Thus, the only possibility to prevent cancer is to increase awareness in people regarding health-related behaviors in order to establish life-long habits that may decrease the risk of developing malignancies. As most of cancer-promoting factors are related with the social status of one person, we will discuss of the main well-recognized cause of cancer which may mediate social and cultural effects on cancer developing and survival.