Abstract 7101: Envisioning leadership for Latino cancer health equity in prevention and control

Abstract Background: Latinos are the second-largest ethnic population in the United States of America (USA), and although their cancer rates, for most cancer types, have significantly decreased over the last decade, Latino cancer inequities and disparities continue to result in late cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment-related burden, cancer-related complications, and poor quality of life. Leadership training and skills are needed to adequately prepare healthcare professionals to respond to the complex and ever-evolving nature of cancer inequities. Therefore, this presentation will evaluate current curricular offerings discussing leadership and/or health equity to provide evidence-based recommendations to inform future clinical and community-based curricular and educational approaches. Methods: We reviewed multiple trainings and educational opportunities currently offered in the USA that discussed or included leadership and/or health equity components and a focus on cancer. Programs were evaluated to understand current gaps in leadership training and the relevance of competency-based education as an effective curriculum development approach to inform the development of future curricular offerings. The literature on leadership for health equity in cancer among Latinos was summarized using the PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), and Scopus (Elsevier) databases following the PRISMA guidelines. Results: The existing programs in the evidence included the Cancer 101, Éxito Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training, Redes en Acción, and Minority Training in Cancer Control Research programs. Results suggest the importance of developing, implementing, and evaluating formal and informal training programs on leadership that can equip healthcare professionals to respond to the complex and ever-evolving nature of Latino cancer inequities. Most programs included post-baccalaureate youth interested in doctoral-level training. However, absent from the identified curricular offerings are capacity-building training and leadership training, as well as skills that would enable researchers and cancer care providers with the necessary tools to become advocates and patient-driven supporters of patients plagued by cancer and cancer care-related disenfranchisement. Discussion and Conclusion: Leadership education efforts to tackle Latino cancer inequities are necessary to ensure responding to the unique and complex needs and realities of Latinos in the USA, which can inform clinical and community-based initiatives recognizing the historical and intergenerational factors that shape Latino health. Citation Format: Rolando Francisco Trejos, Karen Liller. Envisioning leadership for Latino cancer health equity in prevention and control [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 7101.