Purpose Latino cancer survivors experience lower psychosocial well-being compared to Non-Latino Whites. This study describes the development of a culturally-appropriate support group and reports on feasibility of implementation and preliminary outcomes. Methods Promotores (lay health workers) conducted all aspects of data collection and program implementation. Participants were 29 Spanish-speaking Latino cancer survivors (n=12 men, 17 women) who took part in one of three study phases. Phase 1 included one-on-one interviews and focus groups (n=14) to investigate psychosocial needs of survivors. During Phase 2, a 10-week program was developed that integrated data from Phase 1 and culturally-relevant concepts. Session topics included stress, nutrition, physical activity, body image, sexuality, medical advocacy and social support. In Phase 3, the program was implemented within gender-specific groups (n=15). Within-group pre-post comparisons of distress (distress thermometer, salivary cortisol) and quality of life (FACIT) were conducted. Follow-up focus groups assessed participant experience Results Phase 1 activities identified survivor needs and interests (e.g., isolation, family and spirituality, supporting other Latinos with cancer). Evidence of program feasibility was demonstrated (e.g., 90%–100% attendance, 100% data completion). While interpretation of significance is limited due to sample size, improvements in quality of life [functional (p=0.05), social (p=0.02), and meaning/purpose (p=0.05)] were observed among women but not men. Qualitative follow-up revealed high satisfaction with group participation, but discomfort with the topic of sexuality in women. Conclusions This project demonstrates development and feasibility outcomes for providing culturally-appropriate psychosocial support to Latino cancer survivors. Limitations, including lack of control group, and future directions are discussed.

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Latinos are under-represented in biomedical research conducted in the United States (US), impeding disease prevention and treatment efforts for this growing demographic group. We gathered perceptions of biomedical research and gauged willingness to participate through elicitation interviews and focus groups with Latinos living on the US-Mexico border. Themes that emerged included a strong willingness to participate in biomedical studies and suggested that Latinos may be under-represented due to limited formal education and access to health information, not distrust. The conflation of research and clinical care was common and motivated participation. Outreach efforts and educational interventions to inform Latinos of participation opportunities and clarify harms and benefits associated with biomedical research participation will be essential to maintain trust within Latino communities.

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This study aimed to characterize patient and clinical factors associated with cannabis (marijuana) use among patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC). MethodsWe identi ed CRC patients, diagnosed from 2016-2018, using the Seattle-Puget Sound Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry. CRC patients were recruited via mail and telephone, and participants completed a questionnaire eliciting information on medical history, demographics, and lifestyle factors, including cannabis use. Cancer stage was obtained from SEER registry data. ResultsOf 1,433 survey respondents, 339 (24%) were current cannabis users. Current cannabis use was associated with younger age at diagnosis, lower BMI, and a higher prevalence of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption (P-value<0.05). Cannabis use was also associated with lower quality of life scores (FACT-C) and advanced stage cancer (P-value<0.05). ConclusionCannabis use among CRC patients was common. Patients with more advanced disease were more likely to report cannabis use. Use also varied by some personal factors, consistent with patterns in the general population. Given the high prevalence of cannabis use among CRC patients, research is needed to determine the bene ts and harms of cannabis use for symptom management in cancer patients.

Disseminating the results of transdisciplinary health disparities research will increasingly involve discussing family health history and/or genetic information with study participants and their communities. Often, individuals' familiarity and comfort with these topics will be unclear. To inform the dissemination activities of a Center for Population Health and Health Disparities (CPHHD) studying multilevel determinants of breast cancer disparities in Latinas, we talked with Spanish-speaking Mexican-Americans from a rural agricultural community about family health history, genetics, and disease risk. We found that participants had limited genetic literacy but were familiar with some concepts related to family health history. Participants emphasized the role of individual behavior in shaping health and expressed a strong desire for health-related information. This included genetic information about future disease risk, which participants were previously unaware of but thought could be useful for disease prevention. These findings suggest that for research dissemination to facilitate health promotion, gaps in knowledge, particularly genetic knowledge, will need to be overcome. Outreach to underserved Latino communities should take advantage of this existing knowledge of family health history and strong desire for health information, but also take care to not overstate the significance of unreplicated or low-penetrance genetic associations.

African American women experience disproportionately adverse outcomes relative to non-Latina White women after an abnormal mammogram result. Research has suggested medical advocacy and staff support may improve outcomes among this population. The purpose of the study was to understand reasons African American women believe medical advocacy to be important and examine if and how staff can encourage and be supportive of medical advocacy. A convenience-based sample of 30–74 year old women who self-identified as African American/Black/of African descent and who had received an abnormal mammogram result was recruited from community-based organizations, mobile mammography services, and the local department of health. This qualitative study included semi-structured interviews. Patients perceived medical advocacy to be particularly important for African Americans, given mistrust and discrimination present in medical settings and their own familiarity with their bodies and symptoms. Respondents emphasized staff can encourage medical advocacy through offering information in general in a clear, informative, and empathic style. Cultural competency interventions that train staff how to foster medical advocacy may be a strategy to improve racial disparities following an abnormal mammogram.

Lifestyle factors could plausibly modulate the host immune system, the tumor microenvironment and, hence, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) response. As such, these factors should be considered in ICI studies.