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Cancer Control

Overview

The Cancer Control Research Program focuses on two primary areas:

  1. Identifying and reducing health disparities in pediatric cancer care across Texas.
  2. Enhancing long-term outcomes for childhood cancer survivors and their families.

Our goal is to eliminate both the occurrence and impact of childhood cancer.

Survivorship

Over the past thirty years, significant progress has been made in improving childhood cancer survival rates. Clinical research has shifted from merely extending survival to enhancing the quality of survival, particularly for cancers with already high survival rates. Today, nearly 75% of children diagnosed with cancer are expected to be “cured” due to advancements in therapy and diagnosis. However, these cures often come with substantial costs, including short- and long-term complications related to cancer treatment. These complications can affect neurocognitive, cardiac, pulmonary, and endocrine functions, as well as energy balance, fertility, and hearing, and increase the risk of secondary cancers. Psychosocial impacts on patients and their families are also significant. Additionally, survivors may face barriers to accessing health services, such as future insurability issues and the challenges of transitioning from pediatric to adult care. Our objective is to develop methods and data systems to assess the long-term effects of cancer therapy, inform health policy, and identify and address the determinants of long-term complications.

Access Barriers

Healthcare delivery disparities exist across the United States, and Texas, with its diverse geographic, economic, ethnic, and cultural landscape, is no exception. The relationship between this diversity and health disparities in pediatric cancer care is not fully understood. Disparities may impact various stages of care, including cancer susceptibility, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes. Adolescents and minority populations often face reduced access, affecting their care from initial diagnosis through active treatment and into long-term follow-up. Our goal is to identify and eliminate these barriers, particularly for the pediatric population in South Texas.