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Today marks the end of our two-week series on America’s Hispanic/Latinx population and the issues and disparities they face with regard to cancer.
We took a deep dive into their world and came out feeling even more passionate than when we started. Hispanic/Latinx people have had an enormously positive impact on America in countless ways.
But we hope that this community collectively begins to embrace American doctors and will do a better job of getting checked.
We also hope and think that we need more Hispanic oncologists.
For non-Hispanic/Latinx doctors and health professionals, there is also an enormous need to get a better understanding of the Latin culture and how best to engage the community in order to inspire confidence and trust.
The Hispanic/Latinx community very rarely joins clinical trials, and many simply do not get checked regularly for many kinds of cancer for a variety of reasons.
But things are beginning to change. And I am deeply moved by some of the people I have met in these communities, including several Hispanic/Latinx oncologists in America who are focused on assisting this population.
In my story today on Dr. Jaime Estrada, an oncologist, author and community leader, he shared his poignant story about his community and how he has been able to make a real difference sometimes one patient at a time.
Meanwhile, our writer Serg Valencia’s piece points out that Puerto Ricans living on the island are actually less prone to cancer than those living in the U.S. And what Hispanic children battling leukemia eat affects their health outcomes.
Poor nutritional status increases adverse outcomes in childhood hematological malignancies, elevates the likelihood of infections, and augments the risk of relapse and death by up to 50% in overweight children.
Meanwhile, Tyler Neese’s eye-opening story shows that despite all the advances in the early detection and treatment of melanoma, significant disparities remain in regard to the survival rates among various ethnic groups in the United States.
Latinx patients in particular often present with the disease in more advanced stages and generally experience worse outcomes compared with non-Hispanic white patients.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center are determined to change this trend with the help of a targeted social media campaign focused on providing melanoma education to people of Latino heritage.
The Mayo Clinic plans to develop an automated patient navigator designed to, “improve continuous access to cancer care for underserved communities.”
We are committed to covering this dynamic community and helping them in any way we can.
What’s New This Week:
Even in Retirement, Dr. Jaime Estrada Continues to Give to his Latinx Community and More
A Bittersweet Immigrant Story: The American Diet and Leukemia
Social Media Campaign Improves Melanoma Education and Actions Among Latinx Patients
