Experts to Address Cholangiocarcinoma, a Rare Cancer


Nurse Comforting Patient Receiving Chemotherapy Treatment

In a lifetime, four in 10 US adults will be diagnosed with cancer, according to WebMD. Most of these cancers will be found in the breast, prostate, lung, colon, bladder, kidney, skin, and pancreas. Meanwhile, others may receive a rare cancer diagnosis, such as cholangiocarcinoma, which is a rare form of cancer that affects the bile duct. Due to their low incidence, less is known about these rare cancers and there are fewer opportunities available to change that. To learn more about cholangiocarcinoma, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation is partnering with the MD Anderson Cancer Center to put on the 2024 Houston Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium: A Gathering of Knowledge, Support, and Hope on Dec. 13, 2024. Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium The 2024 Houston Cholangiocarcinoma Symposium ...

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Find Cancer Resources in Spanish!



The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) provides a multitude of cancer-related resources thought its NCCN Guidelines for Patients. With the guidelines, patients and others can get easy-to-understand information about prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care for nearly every type of cancer. Now these resources are available in Spanish! Let’s dive deeper into these resources and how they can benefit Latinos and their loved ones with cancer. The Importance of Spanish-Language Resources for Cancer Patients Many Latinos experience challenges when it comes to accessing healthcare, including finding Spanish-language content. “Language barriers in healthcare lead to miscommunication between the medical professional and patient, decrease the ...

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Helping Latino Cancer Survivors (and Caregivers) Be More Active


Helping Latino Cancer Survivors and Caregivers Be More Active - exercise 1

Physical activity can have many benefits for cancer survivors, from improving their quality of life to potentially making it less likely that their disease will come back. Yet studies have shown that many cancer survivors struggle to get the recommended levels of physical activity, particularly those affected by health inequities. Now, according to the results of a new study, a program in Texas has shown it can get these cancer survivors moving more by supporting them in the communities where they live, and by getting their caregivers to become more active as well. The cancer survivors and caregivers, who were mostly Latino, were participants in a 12-week program called Active Living After Cancer. After completing the program, the percentage of survivors getting recommended ...

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Dr. Amelie Ramirez Helps Revolutionize Cancer Care for South Texans


Amelie Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio health equity Systemic and Behavioral Change

Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, joined a KSAT News town hall on Oct. 8, 2024, to share insights on a growing effort to address Latino cancer in South Texas. The event, “Revolutionizing Cancer Care for South Texans: A New Era of Treatment,” was hosted by KSAT anchor Stephania Jimenez and featured Ramirez, Dr. Mark Bonnen, chief medical officer at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, and Jeff Flowers, chief executive officer at the UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty & Research Hospital. Ramirez shared about the state of Latino cancer and the need to address health disparities. She also urged Latino cancer survivors to join the Avanzando Caminos study. The study aims to enroll 1,500 Latino cancer survivors in South ...

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Why Should Latinos Care About Health Literacy?


HLM Main Graphic

The month of October is Health Literacy Month, making it a great time to explore equitable health resources for Latinos and all people. Health Literacy Month was founded by Helen Osborne, M.Ed, OTR/L in 1999. Today, Helen works to helps professionals communicate health information in ways that patients and the public can understand. “By collectively working to improve health literacy, we’ll create a more equitable world where everyone can access high-quality care and achieve positive health outcomes,” according to the Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA). Let’s dig deeper into the importance of Health Literacy Month and how you can take action for health literacy and health equity. What is Health Literacy? Health literacy can be defined in two ways, personal ...

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State of Substance Use Treatment Among Latinos


Group of Multiethnic Millennial People talking about their addiction

Drug misuse continues to be a pervasive problem in the US. Use of illicit drugs can have disastrous health consequences, especially for disadvantaged populations like Latinos, and can lead to premature death. While there are methods to combat addiction, lack of information, lack of insurance, and less access to treatment facilities can get in the way of seeking treatment. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released its annual report on the state of mental health and substance use in the US. Based on results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States covers mental health and substance use, including tobacco, illicit drugs, and more. So far, we have covered alcohol, tobacco and ...

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Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa: The First Latino Chancellor of The University of Texas System



Dr. Francisco G. Cigarroa, UT Health San Antonio’s Malú and Carlos Alvarez Center for Transplantation, Hepatobiliary Surgery and Innovation Director, still remembers the greatest gift he’s ever received.   It didn’t come in the form of an award, a plaque, certificate, or even a baked good.  It came from a 6-year-old patient.   Cigarroa was astonished when the girl he had operated on a few months prior opened her mouth to sing a song meant especially for him.   He cried.  “To this day it’s still the most beautiful gift I’ve ever gotten, and she had the voice of an angel,” Cigarroa recalled. “Sometimes the greatest gifts come in the most unexpected ways.”  Cigarroa has held many titles over the course of his illustrious career, including being ...

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18 Bilingual Videos about Latino Cancer and Clinical Trials!



In 2024, an estimated 195,300 cancer cases will be diagnosed in U.S. Latinos, according to Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanic/Latino People 2024-2026. This makes it important that cancer treatments work for Latinos. Clinical trials – studies with volunteers that explore ways to find, prevent, and treat diseases, like cancer – are a treatment option that could help people. With clinical trial participation in mind, Dr. Eneida Nemecek and her team at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) Knight Cancer Institute created Proyecto Mi Opción, a series of Spanish-language videos that tackle different cancer-related topics. Watch the videos! The Lack of Latino Participation in Clinical Trial Research Latinos face several challenges when it comes to cancer ...

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National Latino Physician Day: Spotlighting Healthcare, Education Disparities


National Latino Physician Day 2024

Latinos currently make up 19.5% of the US population.  Yet only 7% of physicians are Latino, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  What’s more, only 2% of the 7% are Latina, according to the publication Latina Women in the U.S. Physician Workforce: Opportunities in the Pursuit of Health Equity.  Latino representation is vital to achieve health equity for all patients, including Latinos.  This glaring disparity can increase instances of racial and ethnic bias, delay preventative care, influence what kind of treatment someone receives, and cause a stronger mistrust of the healthcare system – all of which can disastrously impact Latino health.   During Hispanic Heritage Month we are honoring Latino physicians on National Latino Physician ...

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