Cancer patients are at higher risk for the new coronavirus COVID-19, as well as more severe outcomes of the diseases, than those without cancer, health experts say. What does this mean for your cancer journey? For treatment? Screening? Clinical trials? Latinos and vulnerable populations? "We don't want to be overly alarming, but the truth is that Latino and all cancer patients should be concerned about COVID-19 because they are at higher risk," said Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, leader of Salud America! and associate director of community outreach and education at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio. "So we want to help spread truthful, equitable information that will help all cancer patients in their journeys." Here are some important issues for cancer patients and ...
By Minnie Morales
San Antonio Cancer Survivor I've always felt there are many ways to view any situation and essentially make light of anything you are going through. I never imagined having to face such dark days as early as 20 years old, but that is what God asked me to do. When I graduated high school and started getting my prerequisites for nursing school, life was hard enough transitioning into adulthood! I fully trusted the doctors when I showed them a large lump in my right breast that I found while sitting in my college class. "It's just a cyst... you're too young to get breast cancer, don't worry about it." Because breast cancer doesn't run in my family and I had never encountered anything like that at 19, I believed what I was told. I finished my ...
Latino cancer survivors who have a "next-level" patient navigator—one who regularly calls to offer support and culturally tailored materials—have better health-related quality of life than survivors with a more passive navigator, according to a new study by UT Health San Antonio, University of Miami, and Northwestern University. The study, published in the journal Cancer, provided patient navigation services to 288 Latino breast, prostate, and colon cancer survivors in San Antonio and Chicago. Half of survivors got access to a typical navigator. They could reach out to their navigator for help with paperwork, transportation, appointment scheduling, translation, accompaniment, and more. The other half got access to a "next-level" patient navigator who offers the same ...
We are in the “golden age” of cancer drug development with over 50 drugs approved for cancer treatment in the past three years. But things aren’t golden for everyone. In fact, of all the clinical trials for those 50 drug approvals, fewer than 10% of participants were Latino or other people of color. That is part of the reason why Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio co-hosted the 2nd Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference Feb. 26-28, 2020, in San Antonio. The conference united nearly 300 researchers, oncologists, physicians, community leaders, policymakers and students. "We can’t ensure that cancer treatments—or intervention, prevention, and outreach methods—work for Latinos if they get left out of the picture," said Ramirez, who directs ...
Latinos are expected to see a 142% rise in cancer cases in coming years. To address this pressing health concern, Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of UT Health San Antonio is leading the 2nd Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos conference Feb. 26-28 at the Marriott Plaza San Antonio hotel. The conference will unite researchers, oncologists, physicians, community leaders, policymakers and students to tackle Latino cancer on many fronts. The conference will build on progress made at the inaugural conference, founded by UT Health San Antonio in 2018, which featured 225 cancer experts from 23 states. The proceedings from this conference were released in fall 2019 in Springer Open Books. “We are looking forward to gathering the brightest scientists, clinicians, advocates and students ...
Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director of Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio and a leading health disparities researcher, has been named to the Women in Cancer Research Council of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The council organizes the activities of the members of the Women in Cancer Research group, including fostering career development and recognizing scientific achievements. They also advise AACR leadership on issues of concern to women investigators. Ramirez will serve on the council for a three-year term starting December 2019. “I’m very excited to serve the AACR in this role. I hope to advance the role of women—including those who are racially/ethnically diverse—in cancer research across the continuum from the lab to survivorship," Ramirez said. ...
When Julia Maues was 29, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy who had a full head of hair—while she had no hair at all due to chemotherapy for breast cancer. During her pregnancy, she was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer. Maues began chemo while pregnant, which is the standard of care. After her son was born in 2013, she underwent more tests she couldn’t have while pregnant. Doctors found that her cancer had already spread to her brain, liver, and bones. After trying different drugs and finding the right one, the cancer started to respond to the therapy. There were (and still are) many setbacks: Most drugs don’t penetrate the brain, many drugs harm the heart, the side effects can be debilitating, and her incurable illness has taken a huge emotional toll on ...
As U.S. Latinos face a staggering 142% projected rise in cancer cases by 2030, UT Health San Antonio leaders gathered international cancer experts to publish a new book with innovative research and recommendations to reduce Latino cancer. The book, Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos in Springer Open Books, showcases results of the same-named conference that brought 300 researchers to San Antonio in 2018. A follow-up conference, set for Feb. 26-28, 2020, in San Antonio, is open for registration. Included in the new book are promising research findings on Latino cancer and strategies for new research covering the entire cancer continuum, from advances in risk assessment, prevention, screening, detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and policy. “Our book, ...
You've probably heard of the many health benefits of breastfeeding, but did you know that promoting equity in breastfeeding can be just as important? For many women and babies of color breastfeeding could mean a matter of life and death or sickness and health. Breastfeeding also offers economic benefits. Unfortunately, many mothers face barriers to breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding in the Latino Community
Although 77% Latina mothers start off breastfeeding, this number drops to 21%, 6 months after giving birth. One of the most common reasons for why women stop breastfeeding is the need to return to work or school. Some women may lack support from their family and peers. Many Latina mothers are also faced with a lack of breastfeeding support from health care providers, and ...
