Significant cancer health disparities exist in the South Texas Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region which predominantly (~90%) constitute Hispanic/Latino population. This highly underserved area represents major hotspot for several cancers including liver cancer. Etiological and other confounding factors associated with these disparities are poorly understood, as there is no dedicated cancer research center in this US-Mexico border region where ~1.4 million people reside. The proposed South Texas Center of Excellence for Cancer Research (ST-CECR) will develop a comprehensive approach to reduce cancer health disparities of this region by defining novel etiological, confounding factors, and developi...

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Significant cancer health disparities exist in the South Texas Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region which predominantly (~90%) constitute Hispanic/Latino population. This highly underserved area represents major hotspot for several cancers including liver cancer. Etiological and other confounding factors associated with these disparities are poorly understood, as there is no dedicated cancer research center in this US-Mexico border region where ~1.4 million people reside. The proposed South Texas Center of Excellence for Cancer Research (ST-CECR) will develop a comprehensive approach to reduce cancer health disparities of this region by defining novel etiological, confounding factors, and developing cancer health disparity research workforce in the region. We proposed four research projects from junior investigators on different aspects of hepato-GI cancers (considering huge disparities in liver cancer in the region and stay focus), recruitment of three new cancer researchers, establish a Biospecimen and Tumor Biology Core Resource facility to support local cancer researchers and administrative core for the smooth running of ST-CECR operation. Research projects will conduct basic, translational, and clinical research to improve early diagnosis and develop strategies to enhance therapeutic outcomes of chemotherapies in RGV minority populations. This center application will foster and promote collaboration between research projects, other Texas Institutions, engage community partners and facilitate translation of bench side research into clinical bed side practice. These activities will be crucial for developing successful intervention strategies to eliminate cancer health disparities exists in this unique and highly underserved region. This funding will allow us to develop bigger cancer health disparity research program in future for the long-term sustainability of the ST-CECR and CPRIT to have access to the unique Hispanic/Latino cancer patient data.

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