Posts tagged Latino Cancer

Testicular Cancer on Rise in Latino Men

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2 weeks ago
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Hispanically Speaking News

Photo from Hispanically Speaking News

Testicular cancer is most common in white men.

But as the overall testicular cancer rate rises in the U.S., the greatest increase is occurring among Latino men, according to a researcher, Hispanically Speaking News reports.

The report indicates that Dr. Scott Eggener, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago, examining testicular cancer incidence from 1992-2009 and found that:

In 1992, 5.7 of every 100,000 men had testicular cancer; that number rose to 6.8/100,000 in 2009.

In 1992, 4 of every 100,000 Hispanic men were affected; that number rose to 6.3/100,000 in 2009.

“The incidence of testicular cancer appears to be increasing very slowly but steadily among virtually all groups that we studied,” said Eggener, according to the news report. “The novel finding is that the most dramatic increase is in Hispanic men.”

Testicular cancer prognosis is generally good, and but a testicular exam should be part of a routine medical exam, experts say.

For more info on testicular cancer, go here.

Study: Latinos Less Likely to Think They’ll Get Cancer

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1 month ago
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Hispanic, Black, and Asian Americans are less likely than whites to believe they will get cancer, even though they are actually more likely to develop cancer and die from it, according to a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion, HealthDay reports.

Study researchers surveyed people about their perceptions of their cancer risk.

They also found Hispanics were less likely than whites and blacks to believe they could take steps to reduce their risk of cancer.

“There is a need for consistent cancer prevention messages and screening recommendations, as well as opportunities to increase education on cancer prevention among all populations,” study senior author B. Lee Green of the Moffitt Cancer Center, said in a center news release, HealthDay reported. “These efforts will make individuals feel more empowered to participate in cancer-preventive behaviors.”

If Latinos need motivation to get screened, check out these videos in English or Spanish:

Who is Èxito!: Jenny Castillo

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1 month ago
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Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, for the 2013 Èxito! program.

Jenny Castillo

Jenny Castillo
Austin, Texas

Native San Antonio resident Jenny Castillo not only cares about helping Latinos get off the couch and get fit to beat disease, she also knows the value of incorporating culturally infused methods of physical activity.

For example, her passion for flamenco and folklorico dance represent an exciting way to bring Latino families together to get active.

Castillo plans to put her passion for dance and her knowledge of Mexican American culture to good use as she pursues a master’s degree in health and kinesiology at The University of Texas at San Antonio. She expects to graduate in 2013.

She also works as a graduate research assistant on a study to prevent obesity and diabetes among low-income Latinas and an obesity intervention in Latina youth.

Castillo, who also has degrees in government and communications (with a specialty in political communications) from The University of Texas at Austin, was encouraged by a mentor to apply for Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training, which aims to increase research in Latino cancer disparities by encouraging master’s-level students and health professionals to pursue a doctoral degree and a cancer research career.

Once accepted into the program, she learned from respected public health researchers and faculty that there are resources available and many different avenues that can lead to doctoral degree and a career in Latino cancer health disparities research.

“Éxito! provided me confidence and tools to apply and be successful in a doctorate program,” Castillo said.

Bilingual Audio/Video: Reasons Latinos Should Join a Clinical Trial

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1 month ago
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Latinos don’t know much about clinical trials, surveys show.

Clinical trials are research studies in which people help doctors find new prevention, screening, and treatment options. New treatments that look promising, and have already been tested extensively in the laboratory, are then tested with patients who volunteer to participate.

It’s especially important for Latinos to participate in research so that doctors can learn more about the types of cancer that affect our community and what treatments are most effective, says Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, director and professor at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday.

For those who speak Spanish, listen to Dr. Ramirez talk about the importance of clinical trials for Latinos:

NCI ClinicalTrails Awareness: Dr. Amelie Ramirez

Also be sure to check out these informative videos in English and Spanish about the importance of Latino participation in clinical trials.

These videos were produced by the IHPR through its national Latino cancer research network, Redes En Acción, which is funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Who is Èxito!: Bianca Flores

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1 month ago
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Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program.

Bianca Flores

Bianca Flores
Austin, Texas

Bianca Flores, a third-generation Texan with Mexican ancestry, wanted to learn more about the Mexican American community.

So she studied Spanish and Mexican Studies and, as she earned her undergraduate degree, increasingly identified herself with the many struggles people of color in the U.S. face, and the health inequalities they experience.

Flores wanted to help Mexican Americans make positive changes, so she earned her a master’s degree in public health nursing from the University of Texas at Austin, and worked as a nurse and a nursing instructor.

Now she directs health promotion activities at the People’s Clinic in Austin and strives to ensure that Latinos—and people of all races and ethnicities—live a healthy life.

She’s also taken another step forward in applying for and being accepted into Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training, which aims to increase research in Latino cancer disparities by encouraging master’s-level students and health professionals to pursue a doctoral degree and a cancer research career.

In combination with her educational background, experience, and tools gained from the 2012 Éxito! Summer Institute, Flores is becoming a public health asset.

Who is Èxito!: Paul Afnan

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2 months ago
by admin in ,

Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program.

Paul Afnan

Paul Afnan
Houston, Texas

With encouragement toward higher education from his El Salvadorian mother, Paul Afnan earned a bachelor’s degree in conservation and resources studies and made the dean’s list with a 4.0 GPA at the University of California, Berkeley.

He knew he wanted to make a difference in people’s health.

So he interned with a scientific agency in Managua, Nicaragua, where he enrolled children into a dengue/influenza cohort study and created a predictive model for patients with febrile illnesses.

Afnan then moved from San Francisco to Houston, where he interned in infection control at Memorial Herman Hospital. Here Afnan conducted an environmental study examining Staphylococcus aureus samples and performed data extraction from medical records to research the risk factors of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

He also wanted to help family members who were struggled with cancer.

That’s why he is seeking his master’s degree in public health at The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston. He expects to graduate in 2013.

To further explore pursuit of a doctoral degree, Afnan applied for and was accepted to join Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training, which aims to increase research in Latino cancer disparities by encouraging master’s-level students and health professionals to pursue a doctoral degree and a cancer research career.

During the 2012 Éxito! Summer Institute, Afnan was exposed to the necessary tools, information, and leaders in public health who were able to provide him with the assistance he needed to pursue a doctoral degree and a research career.

“The Summer Institute gave me an idea of where I wanted to focus my research,” Afnan said. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions.”

Deadline Extended: Apply for Éxito! Training and Internships by 4/1/13

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2 months ago
by admin in , ,

You now have until April 1, 2013, to apply for the 2013 Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program!

Éxito! will select 20 master’s-level students and master’s trained health professionals from across the nation to attend a five-day summer institute June 3-7, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas, offering tools, tips, role models and motivation to encourage participants to pursue a doctoral degree and a career studying how cancer affects Latinos differently.

Éxito! participants also are eligible to receive a $5,000 internship.

Why should you apply?

Check out this video to see how Éxito! has changed Latinos’ lives.

Éxito! is funded by the National Cancer Institute and led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday.

Visit the Éxito! website to learn more, read more testimonials and download the application.

Applications are due April 1, 2013.

Video: Latinos & Colorectal Cancer

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2 months ago
by admin in

Colorectal cancer risk among Hispanics increasing with acculturation, according to a recent study.

Watch this new Spanish video featuring Dr. Jorge Gomez of the National Cancer Institute as he explains what tests are available, when you should begin to take the tests and how often you should have them.

Who is Èxito!: Melawhy Garcia

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2 months ago
by admin in ,

Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2012 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply by April 1, 2013, for the 2013 Èxito! program.

Mel Garcia

Melawhy Garcia
Anaheim, Calif.

Melawhy Garcia was just 17 when her mother was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and colon cancer—unfortunately giving her firsthand knowledge of the income, insurance and other barriers faced by Latino cancer patients.

Since then, Garcia has put cancer in her crosshairs.

Garcia already has helped conduct research and awareness on cervical cancers and other health conditions prevalent among Latinos.

She emphasizes research on cancer prevention, obesity and more in her current position as the assistant director of the California State University, Long Beach, National Council of La Raza/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health. She is responsible for the center’s various health disparities programs in the Latino community.

Garcia, who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in public health from California State University, Long Beach, was seeking additional training on cancer topics.

A mentor led her to Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training, which aims to increase research in Latino cancer disparities by encouraging master’s-level students and health professionals to pursue a doctoral degree and a cancer research career.

Once in the program, Garcia gained the necessary tools, guidance, and mentoring required to successfully apply for a doctoral program.

Webinar 3/12/13: The Impact of Systems and Neighborhoods on Latino Cancer

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2 months ago
by admin in

Redes main 2You’re invited to join a free webinar March 12, 2013, to learn more about how systems and neighborhoods influence Latino cancer.

The webinar, hosted by researchers of Redes En Acción, a National Cancer Institute project led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, is at 11 a.m. CST (9 a.m. PST) on March 12, 2013, will explore two global factors that can help understand mechanisms behind health disparities: 1) systems of care defining access in a broad way and how these may affect disadvantaged patients; and 2) research on neighborhood influences on health disparities, with a focus on different approaches to measure “neighborhood.”

The webinar will last one hour.

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