<p> Many underserved populations face challenges in navigating the medical system, and a language barrier can further the sense of isolation for those facing serious illness. To help address this problem, a comprehensive new Web site for Spanish-speaking breast cancer patients and their families has been launched by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center of Excellence in Cancer Communications Research, funded by the National Cancer Institute. </p> <p> The new Spanish-language site, called "<a href="http://chess.chsra.wisc.edu/espanol">Conviviendo con el Cancer de Seno</a>," is a cultural and linguistic translation of an existing online resource called the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) "Living with Breast Cancer" program, which has consistently improved outcomes for English-speaking breast cancer patients in previous research, particularly for the underserved. The translation was conducted by a multinational team from Mexico, Argentina and Venezuela, with expert guidance from the Dane County Latino Health Council. Additional Latina-specific content was provided by national partners including The National Latino Cancer Research Network and the Center for Patient Partnerships. </p> <p> "To the best of our knowledge, this new site is the most comprehensive and culturally relevant resource on the Web for Latinas with breast cancer," says Susana Torres-Corona, project manager. "The site offers an extensive database of original content, and it also serves as an information clearinghouse linking directly to other high-quality educational materials in Spanish for Latinas created by trusted sources such as the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation." </p> <p> According to Bret Shaw, lead investigator for the project, the site was created to more effectively serve the needs of Spanish-speaking breast cancer patients because Hispanics are both the largest minority group in the United States and also the fastest-growing segment of the population. Additionally, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women, and five-year survival rates are lower than those in other ethnic groups. </p> <p> "By adding Spanish-speaking women to other underserved demographic groups already benefiting from our program, we anticipate reduced health information disparities between Spanish-speaking breast cancer patients and other demographic groups as well as improved quality of life for Latina breast cancer patients and their families," says Shaw. </p> <p> Funding for the project was made available by the Ira and Ineva Baldwin Endowment. The site is open to the public. </p> <p> The Center of Excellence in Cancer Communications Research was funded in June 2003 by a grant of $10 million from the National Cancer Institute to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families, particularly those from underserved populations. </p> A comprehensive new Web site for Spanish-speaking breast cancer patients and their families has been launched by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center of Excellence in Cancer Communications Research, funded by the National Cancer Institute. New Web site to help Spanish-speaking breast cancer patients 12527 2006-06-02T00:00:00-05:00 2006-05-02T00:00:00-05:00 12527 120