Cancer continues to be a leading cause of death for Latinos and all people in the US. But thanks to modern medicine, which includes cancer screenings, prevention techniques, and treatments, the number of cancer survivors is on the rise. Researchers are constantly working on new ways to mitigate and manage cancer and symptoms. However, some of these can come from unlikely places. For instance, researchers have found a link between the COVID-19 vaccine and the cancer immune system, according to a new publication in the journal Nature. Let’s go over the findings and what they mean for cancer patients.
Research Findings on COVID-19 Vaccine and Cancer
The discovery was made when researchers were developing mRNA vaccines for brain tumor patients back in ...
Cancer survivors and community leaders are helping advance patient-centered research outcomes across South Texas through the Creando Conexiones Virtual Forum. This virtual forum, which occurred at 1 p.m. Central on Oct. 30, 2025, is part of the “Creando Conexiones: Cancer Health Research Agenda” project at UT Health San Antonio, which is funded by an award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Expert panelists from Mays Cancer Center, UT San Antonio, Blue Faery, Hope at Heart Foundation, cancer survivors and caregivers, and more discussed the top research priorities on cervical cancer, liver cancer, and pediatric leukemia in South Texas. Panelists also explored the significance and vision of how this research can be conducted alongside survivors and ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and cancer health researcher at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, will receive the 2025 Sedgwick Memorial Medal for Distinguished Service in Public Health from the American Public Health Association (APHA). The award recognizes Ramirez's work in public health, which spans more than 30 years, and is a powerful testament to the legacy of the late Dr. Sedgwick. Ramirez and other APHA awards will be honored Monday, Nov. 3, 2026, during APHA’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Expo. "We celebrate the accomplishments and commitment of [Dr. Ramirez and] these outstanding public health leaders," said Dr. Georges Benjamin, APHA leader, in a statement. "Their contributions have helped strengthen the field and provide inspiration as we ...
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, the Prevent Cancer Foundation hosted an Instagram Live on prevention and cancer screening featuring Dr. Derek Rodriguez of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio. On behalf of the Salud America! program, Dr. Rodriguez chatted with Kyra Meister, Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Senior Communications Manager, about the importance of preventative measures like screening and cancer survivorship. Watch on Instagram Live as the two talk about preventative health measures to better understand and detect cancer, health gaps that impact care, and cancer survivorship. Watch Now! WHAT: An Instagram live video focusing on cancer screening and survivorship WHERE: Available on the Instagram accounts of the Prevent Cancer ...
Smoking cigarettes is the top cause of preventable death in the United States. The good news is that help is out there—just ask Katherine Saucedo. Saucedo, a San Antonio resident, got help quitting smoking from the no-cost Quitxt bilingual text-message service from UT Health San Antonio. Quitxt, created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez and Dr. Patricia Chalela at UT Health SanAntonio with the support of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, sends texts messages to help South Texas adults quit smoking. Messages help with motivation to quit, setting a quit date, handling stress, using nicotine replacement (if needed), and more. Saucedo has been smoke-free for the past three months using Quitxt. “Huge improvements, just better lung capacity. I don't feel short of ...
What do we know about cancer trends in Latino communities? Find answers in the new episode of the Cancer Health podcast from the Office of Community Outreach & Engagement at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle. The episode, "Cancer Trends in Latino Communities," features Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and cancer health researcher at the Mays Cancer Center at the University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center, Ysabel Duron from The Latino Cancer Institute, and Gladys Arias from the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Washington. Together, they discuss cancer trends impacting communities in Washington, California, and Texas. They cover liver, cervical, pediatric leukemia, and more. Listen online, Apple Podcasts, or other podcast ...
Cancer is not a disease that happens overnight. It often creeps up slowly, silently, and without warning — revealing itself in some of the most unlikely ways. That’s exactly what happened to U.S. Congress Rep. Joaquin Castro. Amid a car accident involving a Spanish boar in Spain, Castro received some devastating news — he had neuroendocrine cancer. While a treatable form of cancer, Castro won’t get to ring the bell signaling the end of his treatment. For Castro, treatment continues at UT Health San Antonio. "Unless something changes, I’ll have cancer for the rest of my life, but thankfully, and hopefully, cancer won’t take my life,” he said during an address to the 2024 Advancing Cancer Research for Latinos And All Populations ...
Rick Alvarado has always prioritized education. As a child, the San Antonio-area resident remembers often “playing school” with his neighborhood friends and many of his 10 siblings. “I always knew from very young that I [wanted] to be a teacher,” said Rick. Following in his older brother’s footsteps, Rick would do just that, spending 38 years teaching K-12 and serving in other roles like assistant principal, principal, interim superintendent, and assistant superintendent. He retired a few years ago. But Rick’s life would change on January 7, 2017, when he was diagnosed with stage 2 prostate cancer.
Rick’s Cancer Diagnosis
Prior to his diagnosis, Rick’s doctor told him he had high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. PSA tests measure the level of ...
Today, the Mays Cancer Center at The University of Texas San Antonio Health Science Center, along with 61 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Designated Cancer Centers with leading national organizations and the University of Puerto Rico Comprehensive Cancer Center have endorsed a joint statement urging the nation’s health care systems, physicians and other health care providers and professionals, parents, and caregivers, and the public to promote and choose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for cancer prevention. HPV vaccination is safe and works to prevent six types of cancer (oropharyngeal, cervical, anal, vaginal, vulvar, and penile). Recently released National Immunization Survey (NIS)-Teen data show no gains in HPV vaccination over the last few years indicating urgent ...
