How to Increase Latino Participation in Potentially Life-Saving Cancer Clinical Trials


latino doctor with patient

Only 5% percent of Latinos participate in federal clinical trials, giving researchers fewer chances to find new cancer treatments for this population. What can a health agency do to get more Latinos into clinical trials? A new guide, Clinical Trials Outreach for Latinos: Program Replication Manual, developed by researchers at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio, was created to help health agencies reach into Latino communities and increase their participation in cancer clinical trials. With the guide, a health agency can: Learn about cancer clinical trials; Learn about donation of biospecimens (human materials such as skin, hair, and bodily fluids); Learn the need for Latino-focused outreach to increase trial accrual and ...

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CVS is Quitting Cigarettes…Can You Quit, Too?



CVS pharmacies have decided to stop selling cigarettes, according to several media reports. Will you quit, too? A free automated self-help “Stop Smoking” website is available in both English and Spanish to give Latinos various resources and tools to quit and track their quit progress. Visit the website in English or Spanish. The website is part of a study led by Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network, which is funded by the National Cancer Institute. The study is a collaboration between researchers at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Participants’ smoking status will be evaluated at 1, 3, and 6 months. This project has a very strict ...

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Latino Prostate Cancer Survivors Connect, Bond Thanks to Navigator Project



Brotherhood is a term for a close-knit system of support and friendship among men. In Spanish, this is known as hermandad. For three Latino men fighting to survive prostate cancer, hermandad was a unifying force that helped them through the most difficult challenge of their lives—and it wouldn’t have been possible without the innovative patient navigation project from Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network, which is funded by the National Cancer Institute and headquartered at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Guadalupe Ortiz Valadez, age 61. Roman Mejia Hernandez, age 57. Francisco Lopez, age 58. Each man has a different life story, background, and struggle with cancer. But their differences ...

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Infographic: 12 Cancer Resources for U.S. Latinos



Cancer recently overtook heart disease as the top killer of Latinos. Half of Hispanic men and one third of Latinas will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society, Saludify reports. However, Latinos' screening rates for common cancers are low, contributing to delayed follow up care after a cancer diagnosis is confirmed. Latinos also have the highest uninsured rate of all ethnic groups. Other barriers to care include language and cultural barriers, the traditional distrust towards the medical profession and fear of cancer. Saludify recognizes several agencies for providing cancer prevention resources to increase awareness, access to medical care and support to families. One of them is Redes En Acción: The National Latino ...

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Latinos, Looking for Help to Quit Smoking? Try This Study



A new study is testing whether an automated self-help "Stop Smoking" website—available in both English and Spanish with various resources and tools to track quit progress—can help smokers quit at higher rates than trying to quit on their own. Visit the website in English or Spanish to enroll in this no-cost study. The study, led by Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network, which is funded by the National Cancer Institute, is a collaboration between researchers at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at The UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Upon enrollment, researchers will randomly assign participants to one of two methods to quit: Immediate no-cost access to the UCSF "Stop Smoking" ...

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Case Study: Closing Health Gaps for Latinos with Cancer



LIVESTRONG has published the case study behind its successful Latino outreach campaign that seeks to close the gap in health disparities for Hispanics diagnosed with cancer. The case study on the campaign, Navigating the Cancer Experience: Reviewing the Impact of LIVESTRONG's Navigation Services, indicates that in 2010 more than 25,000 Latinos were served through LIVESTRONG's direct support, print or online resources at LIVESTRONGEspanol.org. Also, the number of Latino survivors accessing LIVESTRONG’s free, confidential navigation services increased by 40%. The campaign also received an honorable mention for Multicultural Marketing Campaign of the Year at the recent PRWeek Awards. "LIVESTRONG is honored to be recognized by PRWeek for our work on behalf of vulnerable and ...

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