NEW YORK, Aug. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), a nonprofit organization spearheading transformative research to harness the immune system’s power to control and potentially cure all cancers, will offer its first-ever Virtual Cancer Immunotherapy Summit in Spanish on September 16, 2021, 2-5 p.m. ET. This free interactive online event, moderated by TV personality, podcast host and former national Univision & Unimas TV host, Ana Patricia Gámez, will connect cancer patients and caregivers with revolutionary research updates from leading immunotherapy experts driving scientific discovery and advancement. 

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), cancer is the leading cause of death among Hispanic people, with current cancer research and statistics indicating lung, breast and colorectal cancer having the greatest impact in this community. Studies show that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among U.S. Hispanic men and the second leading cause of cancer death among U.S. Hispanic women. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in Hispanic females and colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death among both Hispanic men and women.

In fact, research indicates that one in three U.S. Hispanic people (both women and men alike) will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. This urgent public health crisis has propelled the Cancer Research Institute to lead the charge in bringing the promise of immunotherapy to this underserved community with in-language information, research updates, and clinical trial access. Cancer immunotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to control and eliminate cancer. 

“I’ve dedicated my career to the research and development of immunotherapy as an effective cancer treatment. Sharing information in Spanish about this revolutionary treatment option with U.S. Hispanic patients is urgently needed and allows me the opportunity to positively impact the lives of this community as well as support the Cancer Research Institute’s efforts for racial health equity,” said Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D., member of the CRI Scientific Advisory Council, director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the chair of the Melanoma Committee at SWOG Cancer Research Network.

“Working with leaders in the immunotherapy field and leveraging the reach of our partners such as Univision and Ana Patricia Gámez, we hope to engage with U.S. Hispanic cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and support systems to positively impact the health, wellbeing, and overall cancer outcomes for the U.S. Hispanic community,” said Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, Ph.D., CEO and director of scientific affairs at CRI. “Hispanic people are underrepresented when it comes to accessing quality cancer care. The number of patients getting the best treatment isn’t proportional to the number of people who need that treatment. The lack of diversity in cancer clinical trials, too, is a major issue that slows discovery, so CRI is committed to helping solve this problem by connecting U.S. Hispanic patients with leading physician-scientists who want just one thing—to cure cancer.”

“It’s my honor to serve as the moderator for the first-ever CRI Virtual Cancer Immunotherapy Summit in Spanish,” said Ana Patricia Gámez. “My connection to cancer is personal and real—I lost my father much too soon and that changed my life forever. It is my privilege to help Hispanic cancer patients and caregivers in their healthcare journey. This event gives me the chance to do my part to provide these mothers, fathers, family members with access to the latest information on cancer treatments and clinical trials.”

From the comfort and safety of home, attendees of the first-ever free CRI Virtual Cancer Immunotherapy Summit in Spanish can expect to:

• Learn about immunotherapy and how it helps patients, caregivers, and their families
• Hear from leading physician-scientists with expertise in cancer immunotherapy as well as patients treated with immunotherapy
• Gain valuable insight into how clinical trials work to understand whether they are a good option for cancer patients or a loved one and how to find one
• Discover issues specific to the Hispanic and Latino communities in the United States regarding cancer care and how doctors, organizations, advocates, and individuals are addressing these challenges

Support for the Spanish-language 2021 CRI Virtual Cancer Immunotherapy Summit is generously provided by the following sponsors:

• Univision, official media sponsor
• Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck (also known as MSD outside the U.S.), Lilly Oncology and Alkermes Inspiration Grant

This summit comes on the heels of the launch of the first-ever Spanish-language cancer immunotherapy information hub to connect Hispanic patients and caregivers with the latest research and treatment options. The Cancer Research Institute is committed to closing the information and research gap to better serve the Hispanic community in the United States. Visit cancerresearch.org/es to see the robust and helpful offering of information now available in Spanish. Visit https://www.cancerresearch.org/es/conferencia to register for the Spanish-language 2021 CRI Virtual Cancer Immunotherapy Summit.

About the Cancer Research Institute
The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), established in 1953, is a top–rated U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to saving more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all cancers. Guided by a world–renowned Scientific Advisory Council that includes four Nobel laureates and 27 members of the National Academy of Sciences, CRI has invested $474 million in support of research conducted by immunologists and tumor immunologists at the world’s leading medical centers and universities and has contributed to many of the key scientific advances that demonstrate the potential for immunotherapy to change the face of cancer treatment. To learn more, go to cancerresearch.org/es.

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SOURCE Cancer Research Institute