Employing Research, Recommendations to Battle Expected 142 Percent Rise in Cancer

Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos book

As U.S. Latinos face a staggering 142 percent projected rise in cancer cases by 2030, Mays Cancer Center leaders gathered international cancer experts and then published a book with innovative research and recommendations to reduce Latino cancer.

The book, “Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos,” showcases results of the same-named inaugural conference that brought 300 researchers to San Antonio in 2018, which was followed by another conference in 2020.

Included in the book are promising research findings on Latino cancer and strategies for new research covering the entire cancer continuum, including advances in risk assessment, prevention, screening, detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and policy.

“Our book, ‘Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos,’ takes an unprecedented look at Latino cancer from many disciplines to encourage the kind of collaboration among diverse professionals we need to move the field forward,” said Amelie Ramirez, DrPH, co-editor of the book. She serves as associate director for community outreach and engagement for the Mays Cancer Center, home to UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson. Dr. Ramirez also serves as director of the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at UT Health San Antonio. The Mays Cancer Center and IHPR co-host the biannual conference.

“We believe the recommendations here can spark dialogue and collaboration for new solutions to eliminate cancer health disparities among Latino populations,” she added.

Leading Cause of Death

Latinos face a higher risk for certain cancers, such as liver cancer, compared to whites.

This stems from cultural barriers to care, low screening rates, underrepresentation in clinical studies, and data that fails to reflect the diversity within the U.S. Latino population.

The book’s authors urge researchers, population health clinicians, communities and policymakers to see the Latino population as made up of many subgroups. For example, a family’s country of origin can affect genetics, environment, culture, food preferences and lifestyle.

The book suggests that researchers create studies based on subgroups to provide more meaningful results, as health care moves toward a customized approach in precision medicine.

“This research approach is important because Latinos are projected to be one of every three people in the U.S. by 2050,” Dr. Ramirez said.

How to Use These Latino Cancer Findings

Dr. Ramirez said the “Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos” book sets an agenda for future initiatives to address Latino cancer health disparities on all levels.

“We hope that readers will explore this important research to gain a fresh, comprehensive perspective on Latino cancer health disparities,” she said.

“We anticipate this will inspire critical thinking and strategizing about how people can apply some of this research and practice into their own work at their own institution, leading to more collaboration, more research and success in improving the health and lives of U.S. Latinos.”

The book was supported in part by the Mays Cancer Center, the IHPR, and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R13MD012457-01).

Along with Dr. Ramirez, the book’s other co-editor is Dr. Ed Trapido, an epidemiology researcher at Louisiana State University School of Public Health and LSU Health Sciences Center.

Other UT Health researchers contributed to the book: Dr. Ruben A. Mesa, executive director of the Mays Cancer Center; the IHPR research team, including Dr. Patricia Chalela, Dr. Pramod Sukumaran, Cliff Despres and Edgar Muñoz; and Andrea Fernandez and Sneha Prabhu, formerly of the IHPR.

Meanwhile, the Advancing the Science of Cancer in Latinos biannual conference continues to gain momentum.

“Our next conference in 2022 will take a critical next step to further synergize emerging collaborations to address Latino cancer,” Dr. Ramirez said. “We are excited at the potential impact our combined efforts will have on reducing Latino cancer.”

Learn more at www.latinocancer.com.

Recommendations to Reduce Cancer

The book unpacks recommendations for action in these areas:

Genetics, environment, lifestyle and Latino cancer

Cancer prevention strategies should address changing U.S. demographics.
Disaggregate Latino cancer data into subgroups.
Improve data collection on Latino national origin so that cancer registries can account for Latino heterogeneity in their analyses.

Biology of cancer health disparities

Find biomarkers associated with gastric pre-malignant lesions in Latinos.
Conduct comprehensive tumor genomic studies of gastric cancer in Latinos.
Elucidate biological factors that promote outcome disparities among Latinas with breast cancer.
Investigate the role of ethnicity in breast cancer susceptibility.

Latino cancer risk, prevention and screening

Consider heterogeneity among Latinas when estimating breast cancer risk and mortality.
Support international collaborations to access population data and biorepositories in Latin America.
Conduct more epidemiological studies on prostate cancer using adequate risk factor data that includes Latinos.
Consider ethnic and cultural background in the design of research and interventions to improve diet among Latino groups.

Advances in cancer therapy and clinical trials

Structure diverse ethnic patient participation in biomarker trials.
Include biomarker-negative patients in clinical trials.
Improve Latino recruitment into cancer clinical trials.
Use comorbidities as exclusion criteria only for sound evidence-based reasons.
Attract more Latinos into the pipeline for higher education in the health professions and medical school.

Latino cancer in the era of precision medicine

Include more Latinos in precision medicine research.
Consider ethnicity and genetic ancestry when making cancer treatment choices based on gene expression profiles.
Ensure Latinos have access to tumor molecular analysis for targeted cancer therapy.

Cancer outcomes and survivorship in Latinos

Provide access to cancer survivorship care that is linguistically and culturally appropriate for Spanish-speaking Latinos.
Engage Latino communities in design and implementation of behavioral interventions that can be delivered in community settings and are linked to cancer care systems.

Recommendations to Engage Latinos, Policymakers

The book also features recommendations for action in these areas:

Engaging Latinos in cancer research

Engage Latinos in cancer prevention and control research, such as interventions that use community-based participatory research principles
Deliver personalized interventions through texting and mobile media services.
Design cervical cancer interventions that target cultural factors which may operate at various levels of influence.
Use a community-based approach to increase participation of Latinos in biobanking and biospecimen research.

Emerging policies in U.S. health care

Researchers who study cancer in Latinos should advocate to Congress for their own work and educate policy makers of its value in helping people and saving lives.
Address the health effects of environmental quality on cancer and other illnesses.
Empower non-Latino physician partners with cultural competence to enhance their relationship with Latino patients and their caregivers.
Foster survivor advocacy within the community.
Leverage online channels.
Protect patients through local policy by physicians, health care systems, and insurance companies.