California Communities Host Conferences To Discuss Cancer And Hispanics

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Conferences;  Public Health
Article Date: 01 Aug 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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Two communities in California will be addressing cancer among Hispanics. Summaries of news coverage previewing the events appear below.

• Santa Cruz County: A daylong forum on Aug. 8, sponsored by the American Cancer Society, will address issues such as why cancer rates and mortality from the disease are much higher for Hispanics living in Santa Cruz than for those living in neighboring counties. The forum is expected to explore the barriers that affect outcomes, including that Hispanics are less likely to have health insurance to cover cancer treatment. Elsa Quezada of the Central Coast Center for Independent Living said, "Hispanic men and women have a greater chance of being diagnosed with cancer at a later, less treatable stage of disease, and they are less likely than the general public to survive five years after a cancer diagnosis." Quezada is chair of the forum (Gumz, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 7/30).
  
  
• San Francisco: The National Latino Cancer Summit, taking place Wednesday through Friday, will address Hispanics and breast cancer, Hispanics' low participation in clinical trials and the role played by promotoras, or community health educators, in addressing cancer. Ysabel Duron, a veteran San Francisco television broadcaster and summit organizer, said, "We are focused on bringing together those researchers with community members who are working in the trenches. It (the information) gets out there on television, but who really hears it and how much do they hear, and how do they understand it?" (Davila, San Jose Mercury News, 7/31).

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