Cancer is often associated with an aging population, but something is changing in the demographics of cancer survivors — they are younger. There are projected to be 85,980 new cases of cancer in individuals between ages 15 and 39, according to the National Cancer Institute. Decade trends show that this number has been rising an average of 0.3% each year. Even though most young adults and teens with cancer are expected to survive for five years following their diagnosis, researchers are trying to understand why young survivors often face long-term health impacts, such as nerve pain and memory loss. For example, a recent study – using All of Us Research Program data – found that four conditions that affect the brain or nerves were more common in young cancer ...
Sadly, breast cancer impacts our Latina community. Latinas are more likely than White women to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive type, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Join us for “Making Your Voice Heard in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Treatment,” our 30-minute webinar that is available on-demand starting on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Hear the latest TNBC treatments and how Latinas deal with the difficult cancer journey. A doctor who specializes in treating breast cancer, a nurse practitioner, and a patient with breast cancer will explain how to manage side effects, connect with others in the breast-cancer community, and be your own best advocate. Webinar speakers include: Claudia Tellez, MD, Clinical ...
The last thing a person wants to hear from their doctor is “You have cancer.” Unfortunately, that’s the reality for the thousands of Americans, including many Latinos, diagnosed with cancer each year. After a diagnosis, people dealing with cancer discuss treatment options with their medical care team, which may include participation in clinical trials. Clinical trials are studies with volunteers that test ways to find, prevent, and treat cancer and other diseases. They may also help improve the quality of life for volunteers affected by cancer or reduce the side effects of treatment. Despite the benefits of participating in clinical trials, only about one out of every five (21.9%) people with cancer enroll in clinical research, according to a new study in the ...
The White House recently issued a presidential proclamation declaring April as National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month. “During National Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Month, we honor the enormous courage and strength of the millions of Americans facing the disease today and of the many millions of survivors, whose resilience inspires us all,” said President Joe Biden. This observance was led by the Prevent Cancer Foundation, along with the support of 84 additional organizations, to raise awareness and reduce the impact of cancer on individuals, families, and communities. “We hope it serves an important reminder to the public that they have the power to take charge of their health with lifestyle changes and routine screenings, because early detection ...
Do you how cancer impacts your local population? How can you help? Find new strategies to address the local cancer burden at UT Health San Antonio’s webinar, “How to Identify and Equitably Respond to Local Cancer Needs,” at 10 a.m. Central on Thursday, April 25, 2024. This webinar will feature experts from the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida, Genentech, as well as a patient advocate, who will explore local cancer issues. Panelists will share how to strategically listen, engage, and respond to local cancer needs to guide cancer research, care, and outreach tailored to address the needs of local communities. This is a part of a webinar series, “Let’s Address Health Equity Together.” The series is a collaboration of the ...
Marielle Santos McLeod thought she knew a lot about cancer care. Years as a health professional had given her time to learn about cancer care and gain a closer look at the barriers Latinos face in getting equitable treatment. That’s why, when the mother of four was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 36, she was shocked by just how little she really knew. However, it was enduring the disease as a young Latina that guided her toward her life's purpose – serving as a patient advocate to uplift the voice of Latino cancer survivors. “I love advocacy .... It's like one of the things that I'm convinced that I was put on this earth to do. I just had to get cancer to get to it first,” Santos McLeod said.
Spanish-Language Influence
Santos McLeod doesn’t believe ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio, recently shared the need to help Latino cancer survivors on "Science & Medicine," an audio collaboration of Texas Public Radio and UT Health San Antonio. Bonnie Petrie, TPR's bioscience and medicine reporter, hosted the segment. Ramirez spoke to Petrie about her project to improve care and life for Latino cancer, called “Avanzando Caminos (Leading Pathways): The Hispanic/Latino Cancer Survivorship Study.” "Our big goal is to really have more equitable care for everyone, not only in South Texas, but nationwide, and that their outcomes for survival are also improved,” Ramirez said during the segment. Listen to the full audio here.
About the Avanzando Caminos Research Project
Avanzando Caminos ...
Dr. Rebecca Jones of UT Health San Antonio has been approved for a 2-year, $250,000 funding award through the Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Awards (Engagement Awards) program, an initiative of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). The funds will support the creation of the Creando Conexiones: Cancer Health Equity Research Agenda, which will outline research priorities identified by South Texas cancer survivors, caregivers, and community members. Join the Creando Conexiones coalition! "We know that research has the most impact when guided by voices of cancer survivors and community members," said Jones, assistant director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research and part of the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio. "With their input, we ...
Ahead of the 2024 Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos Conference, 15 Latina women from across the country came together, unified by a common thread — to become a research patient advocate.
This gathering, on Feb. 20, 2024, marked the first in-person meeting of the Latino Cancer Patient Advocate Training Program, a new initiative to teach cancer survivors to become research patient advocates, who help others navigate the healthcare system and raise the Latino voice in research.
Patient advocates are critical to the goal of reducing Latino cancer disparities, said Dr. Barbara Segarra-Vázquez of the University of Puerto Rico, co-leader of the new program.
“You really have to have passion to become a patient advocate,” said Segarra-Vazquez. “It’s that desire to help ...
