American Lung Association Campaign Aims to Address Lack of Diversity in Clinical Trials, Improve Lung Cancer Care for Hispanic Individuals

In the past decade, clinical trials have contributed to rapidly advancing research, which has led to more individuals living with lung cancer exceeding the five-year survival rate than ever before. Unfortunately, this progress has not been shared equally amongst the populations facing high lung cancer burdens. That’s why the American Lung Association is expanding its work through the Awareness, Trust and Action program to educate Hispanic individuals about clinical trials and encourage them to speak with their healthcare provider about their treatment options.

While progress in the early detection and treatment of the disease in recent years has increased the five-year survival rate to 26.6% nationally, this progress has not been shared equally. Hispanic individuals with lung cancer were 16% less likely to be diagnosed early, 30% more likely to not receive any treatment, and 9% less likely to survive five years compared to white individuals in America. 

“Hispanic people in the U.S. face barriers in enrolling in clinical trials because of lack of understanding about what clinical trials really are and how clinical research is run, which results in myths, fear and lack of trust,” said Jorge Gomez, MD, Medical Director, Associate Director for Clinical Operations, Thoracic Oncology program for Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. “I think that any campaign in the effort to try to get rid of those and help patients understand the importance of clinical trials is very important.”

Clinical trials are critical to advancing promising lung cancer treatments. Clinical trials are highly monitored research studies that can test many things like how to prevent a disease, new ways to detect or diagnose a disease or new ways to treat a disease. Each participant in a clinical trial is treated with the highest level of care. Sometimes the most appropriate treatment option for a lung cancer patient is through a clinical trial.  

Unfortunately, Hispanic individuals are underrepresented in clinical trials. Hispanic participants account for 16% of the population but only 1% of clinical trial participants. Hispanic individuals deserve to benefit from the cutting-edge therapies clinical trials may offer.

The American Lung Association is expanding its Awareness, Trust and Action campaign to: 

• Raise awareness among Hispanic lung cancer patients/caregivers (as well as the larger Hispanic community) about the availability and importance of clinical trials as a treatment option for lung cancer;
• Address misconceptions and mistrust around clinical trials and convey their value as a potential treatment option; and 
• Empower Hispanic individuals to take action by talking with their doctors about lung cancer clinical trials.

Learn more at about the program here.

Support for this project provided in part by Genentech and Roche.