Latino Cancer Care in 2025: From AI Innovations to Prevention Strategies

As we enter 2025, let’s continue the important conversations we sparked with our 2024 Friday Forum Series, "Talking About Cancer Won't Kill Us, The Silence Will!” The series featured 28 expert presenters and engaged over 540 participants across healthcare, research, and community sectors. In the first 3 issues of 2025, we’ll share highlights from the impactful presentations that had 100% of survey respondents saying they would attend future TLCI forums.

Belen showcased NHIT’s Data Fusion Center, which leverages public health data for efforts like social determinants of health (SDOH) mapping and improving cancer patient care. Like other presenters, he stressed the importance of community data ownership and privacy rights—critical components of ethical AI development in healthcare.

Data Privacy Week (January 27-31, 2025) and its theme, Put Privacy First, reinforces last year's Forum’s discussions that AI must be built equitably, with privacy protections at the forefront. For detailed guidelines on protecting patient rights in AI healthcare, visit The Light Collective’s AI Patient Rights Initiative.

“Thank you [for bringing AI issues] to everyone's attention. Lots of work to do in the local and national levels.”

― Ghecemy Lopez

Bold Goals for Eliminating Cervical Cancer

“Cervical cancer elimination is achievable within decades, not centuries," declared Dr. Francisco Garcia in our cervical cancer Forum. While Hispanic women face 40% higher diagnosis rates and 30% higher mortality rates compared to non-Hispanic whites, new approaches offer hope:

• Single-dose HPV vaccination could improve coverage and reduce costs.
• FDA-approved self-collection testing shows promise for increasing screening rates, especially among marginalized/at-risk groups.

“Self-collection will be most impactful if implemented in safety net settings.”

– Dr. Jane Montealegre

Nancy Peña shared how Dana-Farber/Brigham's patient navigation program has significantly improved outcomes by helping patients overcome multiple barriers to care. The program has reduced no-show rates and increased screening adherence. Building on this success, Peña's organization, Navegación de Pacientes Internacional, has expanded these proven approaches to Latin America, training patient navigators to address regional challenges like geographic barriers, limited-service hours, and language differences. Her work demonstrates how patient navigation can be a powerful tool for eliminating cervical cancer disparities both in the U.S. and abroad.

As we observe Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and World Cancer Day (February 4, 2025), let’s remember: cervical cancer is preventable, HPV vaccination is cancer prevention, and 50% of cases occur in under-screened or unscreened women.

Breaking the Myth: Latinos Participate in Research—When Invited the Right Way

The All of Us Research Program demonstrates what's possible when barriers to participation are addressed. Through partnerships with trusted community organizations and promotores (community health workers), the program has enrolled over 136,000 Latino participants – a remarkable increase from 86,000 the previous year. As one Forum participant noted, "Latinos do engage in research when appropriately asked and supported." At least one third were monolingual Spanish speaking!

Hear more about the All of Us research program and how their work is driving insights into Hispanic/Latino health trends. Presented in Forum 6.

Bridging Cancer Detection Gaps: Advocacy for the MCED Act

To reduce Latino cancer disparities through policy change, TLCI supports the Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act. It represents a groundbreaking opportunity to improve early detection of cancers. Despite widespread bipartisan support, Congress has yet to pass this critical legislation, which would pave the way for Medicare to cover FDA-approved multi-cancer early detection tests once their clinical benefit is demonstrated.

This legislation is essential in addressing cancer disparities, especially for underrepresented groups who often face barriers to early detection. Advocates, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), are urging the 119th Congress to prioritize this lifesaving policy in 2025. As part of National Cancer Prevention Month this February, we encourage our community and all sectors in the cancer field to support efforts that expand access to early detection and prevention tools for all.

Looking Ahead

Stay tuned for our February issue focusing on genetic discoveries in blood cancers and emerging trends in gastric, liver, and colorectal cancers among Latinos. In early 2025, we’ll release an Executive Report and a '100 Calls to Action' flyer summarizing key insights from the Forum Series.

Upcoming Health Observances

January & February mark key awareness months, including Cervical Cancer Awareness, Data Privacy Week, and National Cancer Prevention Month.