The Avanzando Center
Launched in 2023 with support from the American Cancer Society, the ACS Avanzando Center at UT Health San Antonio is led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez and a team with a passion to address key non-medical drivers of health and improve cancer care across the cancer care continuum for South Texans and beyond.
The Need
South Texas, home to 5 million people, needs improved medical care. South Texans face higher risk of liver, cervical, and other cancers. This is in part due to issues with the non-medical drivers of health, such as lack of health insurance, financial strain, and language barriers.
The Vision
The ACS Avanzando Center at UT Health San Antonio aims to be the driving force in South Texas and the nation for building health, improving cancer care, decreasing the burden of cancer, and improving health outcomes.
The Mission
The Avanzando Center aims to improve health outcomes across South Texas with community-engaged research, training, patient assessment, and advocacy that addresses the non-medical drivers of health that deter many people from access to cancer care, prevention, early detection, and treatment, and improve patients’ cancer outcomes, survivorship, and quality of life.
The Goals
The goals of the ACS Avanzando Center are to: 1) conduct Research Scholar projects to address the non-medical drivers of health that contribute to the cancer burden; 2) screen cancer patients for the non-medical drivers of health and integrate with patient navigators; 3) engage the community in education and promotion of changes to address the non-medical drivers of health; and 4) create mentoring on health improvement and the non-medical drivers of health for cancer researchers and care providers at Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio.
Contact the ACS Avanzando Center team at the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio at ihpr@uthscsa.edu or 210-562-6500.
Avanzando Center Research Scholar Projects
Colorectal Cancer Screening
Drs. Ramon Cancino and Rebecca Jones of UT Health San Antonio are testing a colorectal cancer screening tool that provides tailored resources and patient navigation to improve screening rates among men in poverty.
HPV Vaccine Rates
Dr. Allison Grimes of UT Health San Antonio is testing an HPV vaccine intervention to increase vaccination rates among adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
Helping Patients
Dr. Patricia Chalela of UT Health San Antonio is testing a bilingual app and patient navigation on improving adherence to hormone therapy among breast cancer patients who are experiencing non-medical drivers of health issues.
