Health
Pioneering Progress: New Mexico’s Path to Better Cancer Outcomes
New Mexico Statewide Cancer Clinical Trials Network reviewed state’s cancer clinical trials and celebrated advances in cancer care at June Scientific Retreat
Last Updated on November 17, 2024 by Daily News Staff
Chandylen Nightingale, PhD, MPH, Wake Forest University, was the keynote speaker at the NMCRA Scientific Retreat
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For nearly 20 years, the New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance (NMCCA) ensured that New Mexicans in all parts of the state had access to cancer clinical trials. That network of health care organizations has modernized its processes. It also strengthened its focus and mission on delivering clinical trials and clinical research to prevent, detect, and treat cancer and to improve patient outcomes, experiences and access to cancer care using culturally sensitive approaches.
The rebranded organization, now called the New Mexico Cancer Research Alliance (NMCRA), held its first in-person scientific retreat on June 21. Attendees at the event represented The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Lovelace Health System and Memorial Medical Center and the Veteran’s Administration Hospital System.
Summary
- The New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance (NMCCA) has rebranded as the New Mexico Cancer Research Alliance (NMCRA) to strengthen its focus on delivering cancer clinical trials to New Mexicans.
- Through the NMCRA’s unique collaboration, every New Mexican has access to cancer clinical trials.
- Cancer clinical trials test new treatments and new methods of delivering and improving cancer care
A “Gem” to Improve Cancer Care
The NMCRA is an incredible gem for the people of New Mexico,” says Carolyn Muller, MD, FACOG, NMCRA Director. “Clinical research improves the lives of cancer patients by focusing on better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer and to optimally deliver cancer care.”
Cancer Clinical research is conducted through clinical trials, which test new treatments and new methods of delivering and improving cancer care. Some trials test whether new drugs are more efficacious than the currently used “standard” drugs. Some test new drug combinations.
Other cancer clinical trials test better ways to screen for cancer or lessen symptoms from cancer or cancer treatments. Still other trials test different methods of delivering care to different people, such as individuals from different racial or ethnic communities or those who live in rural or underserved communities.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees all clinical trials in the US. It ensures that all clinical trials are conducted safely and with the full understanding and consent of those who choose to take part in them. It also ensures that clinical trials are “designed, conducted, analyzed and reported according to federal law and good clinical practice (GCP) regulations.”
The FDA enforces a four-phase process of testing through which new treatments are approved for use. Each phase has its own set of requirements that treatments must meet in order to progress to the next phase.
Professional medical organizations, such as the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) create guidelines for cancer related clinical practice based on the strength of scientific evidence that results from clinical trials. These standards reflect the latest scientific research and best-known practices for delivering care.
The current standard treatments and care practices in effect today went through scientifically rigorous clinical trials to become the standards. When new clinical trials show a drug, treatment or method to be more effective than the current standard, the practice of cancer care changes.
Muller says that the results of several practice-changing clinical trials were presented at the most recent American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) national conference. Some New Mexico patients took part in those clinical trials.
“Our patients had an opportunity to benefit from the clinical trial treatments, and they also helped future patients receive better care,” says Muller. “They are true heros!”
“Cancer research is the key to progress in our battle against cancer,” says Dr. Heyoung McBride, MD from Lovelace Cancer Center, Radiation Oncology. “It is only through high quality research that we can advance our understanding of biological processes involved in cancer and improve outcomes for patients and loved ones suffering from cancer,” she says.
Daunting Challenges
New Mexico’s small population is spread over a large area: the state ranks fifth in land mass but 36th in population. Offering clinical trials to people throughout the state thus presents a daunting challenge.
Because of their scientific nature, clinical trials demand more than strict adherence to a detailed plan, called a protocol, that every person on the trial must follow. Trials also require evidence that each person has followed that protocol. Should anyone deviate from the protocol – for example, if someone must come off the protocol because of a new health issue or a serious side effect – a note of that situation must also be recorded and reported, especially for safety purposes.
A cadre of expertly-trained research teams are needed to manage clinical trials. Some of these people are trained to ensure that participants in each clinical trial meet all the criteria for joining that trial. Others explain the protocols to potential participants. And many others enter clinical trial data, manage databases, report results to oversight entities, and track patient responses and side effects.
Few, if any, independent doctor’s offices could manage clinical trials on their own. Even some larger health care organizations in the state would struggle under the vast administrative burden. UNM, as the only NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in NM, serves as the academic hub for the NMCRA. And the NMCRA brings cutting edge clinical trials and clinical research from the National Cancer Institute, lead investigators and other stakeholders to the NMCRA member health systems.
Through the NMCRA’s unique collaboration, UNM’s clinical research expertise is shared with all affiliated cancer treatment providers in the state. The UNM Cancer Center’s Clinical Research Office supports many of the core functions of the NMCRA.
This collaborative effort between the academic and community health systems partners has led to sustained funding support from the National Cancer Institute’s National Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP).
“The NCORP Program delivers state-of-the-art national cooperative group clinical treatment, prevention and screening trials to New Mexico,” Muller says. She also notes that many clinical research leaders in New Mexico across the NMCRA not only serve on the national committees that help to shape the future of these trials but also make sure that New Mexicans can access these trials.
“Health systems in New Mexico value cancer clinical trials,” says Muller.
William Adler, MD, at Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, sees the benefits of clinical trials for New Mexicans, He says, “Memorial Cancer Center has made clinical research trials a priority for nearly 15 years. The availability of these national and international studies allows patients to stay at home with their families and still have access to the leading edge of cancer care. The cancer program at Memorial Medical Center has received national recognition for its clinical trial research activities. As the umbrella organization, NMCRA has made cancer clinical research possible in southern New Mexico.”
Malcom Purdy, MD, at Lovelace Cancer Center Medical Oncology agrees. He says, “The Lovelace Cancer Center has participated in clinical trials with the University of New Mexico for close to 40 years. These have included groundbreaking studies which have advanced patient care and cancer treatment, especially in breast cancer. Unlike clinical trials for other conditions, clinical trials for cancer patients take the best of what we know now and add to that care, so all participants receive excellent care. I always tell my patients that participation in a clinical trial gives the best care.
Access for All
As the many affiliates of the NMCRA know, offering the best cancer care isn’t good enough; that care must reach the people who need it.
In addition to the large cancer care providers, smaller oncology practices throughout the state are also NMCRA affiliates. They provide cancer clinical trials to people in some of the most underserved and remote areas in New Mexico.
And the National Cancer Institute (NCI) also recognizes the need to bring cancer care and cancer research to people who have not taken part in clinical trials in the past or who may face significant barriers to joining then now.
Through the NCORP grants, the NCI has created “a national network that brings cancer clinical trials and care delivery studies to people in their own communities.” The UNM Cancer Center is one of the Minority/Underserved NCORP sites, and NCI cancer clinical trials are delivered through the NMCRA
The NCI is also focusing on cancer care delivery. Cancer care delivery research studies how different processes, models, concepts and approaches can improve the quality of cancer care, patient outcomes, and access to care.
Chandylen Nightingale, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Division of Public Health Sciences, at Wake Forest University School of Medicine spoke at the recent NMCRA scientific retreat and shared her research and insights and the importance of cancer care delivery research.
“It is imperative for New Mexico’s cancer patients to have access to innovative treatments that will hopefully move cancer care forward,” says Ethan Binder, MD, at Presbyterian Healthcare Services Hematology/Oncology. “The NMRCA is a wonderful collaborative effort that truly tailors cancer research for New Mexicans.”
Some of the NMCRA Member Institutions
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center
The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center is the Official Cancer Center of New Mexico and the only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center in a 500-mile radius. Its more than 120 board-certified oncology specialty physicians include cancer surgeons in every specialty (abdominal, thoracic, bone and soft tissue, neurosurgery, genitourinary, gynecology, and head and neck cancers), adult and pediatric hematologists/medical oncologists, gynecologic oncologists, and radiation oncologists. They, along with more than 600 other cancer healthcare professionals (nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, navigators, psychologists and social workers), provide treatment to 65% of New Mexico’s cancer patients from all across the state and partner with community health systems statewide to provide cancer care closer to home. They treated approximately 14,000 patients in about 100,000 ambulatory clinic visits in addition to in-patient hospitalizations at UNM Hospital. A total of nearly 400 patients participated in cancer clinical trials testing new cancer treatments that include tests of novel cancer prevention strategies and cancer genome sequencing. The more than 100 cancer research scientists affiliated with the UNMCCC were awarded $35.7 million in federal and private grants and contracts for cancer research projects. Since 2015, they have published nearly 1000 manuscripts, and promoting economic development, they filed 136 new patents and launched 10 new biotechnology start-up companies. Finally, the physicians, scientists and staff have provided education and training experiences to more than 500 high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral fellowship students in cancer research and cancer health care delivery. Visit www.UNMHealth.org/cancer.
Presbyterian Healthcare Services
Presbyterian Healthcare Services exists to improve the health of patients, members and the communities we serve. Presbyterian is a locally owned, not-for-profit healthcare system of nine hospitals, a statewide health plan and a growing multi-specialty medical group. Founded in New Mexico in 1908, it is the state’s largest private employer with more than 13,000 employees.
Lovelace Health System (Lovelace) recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, marking a century of caring, change and progress while continuously improving the practice of medicine.
Lovelace is comprised of Lovelace Medical Group/New Mexico Heart Institute, Lovelace Women’s Hospital, Lovelace Medical Center, Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center, Lovelace Westside Hospital, Lovelace Regional Hospital and Lovelace UNM Rehabilitation Hospital. Across its six hospitals, 33 health care clinics and seven outpatient therapy clinics, Lovelace has 619 inpatient beds and employs a team of more than 3,450, including over 280 health care providers. Lovelace continues to invest in our community, providing more than $81 million in unfunded care and supporting local nonprofit and community organizations with more than $357,000 in charitable contributions and community support in 2022. From the first and only hospital in New Mexico dedicated to women’s health to the state’s only hospital devoted exclusively to cardiovascular care, Lovelace is a leader in meeting the healthcare needs of this region. To learn more about our state-of-the-art treatment options, innovative health care providers and award-winning quality initiatives, visit lovelace.com.
Memorial Medical Center is a 199-bed full-service acute care hospital located in Las Cruces, New Mexico and serving a five-county region of Southern New Mexico. Our mission is simple: Making Communities Healthier. We are a part of the LifePoint Health family of hospitals, which means we aim to create a place where people choose to come for healthcare, physicians and providers want to practice, and employees want to work. Learn more at mmclc.org.
Source: Michele W. Sequeira, MS, MBA, MWC & University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center
The science section of our news blog STM Daily News provides readers with captivating and up-to-date information on the latest scientific discoveries, breakthroughs, and innovations across various fields. We offer engaging and accessible content, ensuring that readers with different levels of scientific knowledge can stay informed. Whether it’s exploring advancements in medicine, astronomy, technology, or environmental sciences, our science section strives to shed light on the intriguing world of scientific exploration and its profound impact on our daily lives. From thought-provoking articles to informative interviews with experts in the field, STM Daily News Science offers a harmonious blend of factual reporting, analysis, and exploration, making it a go-to source for science enthusiasts and curious minds alike. https://stmdailynews.com/category/science/
health and wellness
Millions of mobile gamers prize stress relief over winning
Mobile Gamers Prize Stress: In the school’s car pickup line, five minutes before it starts moving. In the doctor’s office waiting room for an appointment that you’ve been heavily anticipating. In bed, just before going to sleep. In these transitional moments, many people reach for their phones — not to scroll, but to play.
Millions of mobile gamers prize stress relief over winning
(Sheeka Sanahori) In the school’s car pickup line, five minutes before it starts moving. In the doctor’s office waiting room for an appointment that you’ve been heavily anticipating. In bed, just before going to sleep. In these transitional moments, many people reach for their phones — not to scroll, but to play.
According to a June 2026 survey of more than 128,000 KashKick mobile gamers, playing a mobile game is more than a way to pass the time. Stress relief and relaxation are the top reasons respondents play, beating out entertainment and fun. As KashKick reports, for many people, this means mobile games are less a simple distraction and more a coping mechanism for the daily stress of life.
A quick reset for life’s transitional moments
Most respondents identify as women, and 60% live in households that earn less than $50,000 per year. In the ranking of their reasons for playing, stress relief and relaxation topped the list, with boredom relief, entertainment and fun close behind.
The ranking reads less like a profile of a gaming hobby and more like a profile of a coping behavior.
More than half of the respondents play games daily or multiple times a day. When they reach for a mobile game, about 53% of the time it’s for a short session—usually 30 minutes or less. Where and when people play tells its own story: 58% play in bed before going to sleep and 40% play in the bathroom. These are private, solitary moments, not the times people typically plan entertainment into their day.
Coping with stress by gaming
To understand why respondents play games for stress relief more than for fun, it helps to look at who they are. Among those surveyed, 19% say they’re unemployed or looking for work, and 60% live in lower-income households. There are likely some areas of their life where they must make every dollar stretch to cover the things they need.
The survey findings coincide with research from the American Psychological Association’s 2025 Stress in America report. According to the report, 18% of men and 22% of women under age 65 rate their stress level at eight or higher on a scale of one to 10. Although the KashKick survey didn’t measure stress, respondents are mostly women and fall within the age and income groups the APA found to carry the most stress.
The APA’s report also describes loneliness as a major strain for Americans. The KashKick survey didn’t measure feelings of isolation, but 55% prefer to play alone, and 60% rarely or never discuss their gameplay with friends or family.
Overall, the survey identifies a group of people who have found a routine, low-cost approach to cope with stress. They’re not necessarily there to get the highest score. They’re playing a mobile game to help them navigate a day that, with all of life’s to-dos and challenges, could quickly feel overwhelming.
Methodology
The KashKick Gaming Habits Survey was fielded from June 8, 2026, through Aug. 10, 2026, among KashKick members in the United States who play mobile games. The Gaming Habits Survey was available to all members on KashKick’s Surveys page post-profile completion. The survey received 128,218 total responses, with question-level response counts ranging from approximately 109,793 to 128,218 depending on attrition. All findings describe KashKick mobile gamers and should not be interpreted as representative of U.S. mobile gamers overall. Industry and stress context references publicly available data from the American Psychological Association, Statista, and Newzoo.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
KashKick
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Child Health
Pediatric Cancer Goes Beyond a Victory Bell: How Research and Innovation Improve Survivorship Rates
(Feature Impact) For every tear-jerking video found online of a child ringing a bell that signifies a cancer journey victory, there are dozens, if not more, people working behind the scenes. From leading minds in cancer research to doctors, nurses and support staff, a vast network of people and decades of medical advancements make those moments possible.
In fact, in the last 10 years, the FDA approved 10 new immunotherapies and 20 molecularly targeted therapies to treat pediatric cancers, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. Those breakthroughs – and the children they impact – come with a cost, which is why Hyundai Hope on Wheels has served as a pioneer in increasing survival rates by investing $303 million in pediatric cancer research over nearly three decades.
Those funds have supported more than 1,600 grants to 210 institutions, leading to new insights into cancer biology, clinical trials and new drug development while bringing hope at all stages of a child’s cancer journey.
However, there remains work to be accomplished. According to a survey conducted by Atomik Research on behalf of Hyundai Hope on Wheels, 46% of U.S. adults believe that a child ringing a hospital bell after cancer treatment signifies the child is cancer-free and their medical journey is largely over. The reality is more nuanced than that. In fact, more than one-third of respondents said they’re not familiar with the term cancer survivorship or they have heard the term but don’t fully understand what it means.
Many health care organizations define survivorship as beginning at the time of diagnosis and continuing through treatment and beyond. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, children who survive cancer face several long-term physical and psycho-social challenges due to their cancer and treatment, including planned surgeries, additional rounds of radiation or other forms of medical treatment to address common physical challenges stemming from chemotherapy.
Survival rates continue increasing with scientific and technological breakthroughs, up from 75% to 85% in nearly three decades, representing roughly 40,000 more children surviving their diagnoses. More than 3 in 4 U.S. adults are encouraged by that progress.
For survivors, treatment is just the beginning. Research, follow-up care and long-term funding determine what comes next, and every grant funded and every survivorship program backed means more children reaching adulthood.
According to the survey, more than 80% of adults said they’re more likely to support organizations that fund survivorship services, creating opportunities to fund crucial research and support for children facing pediatric cancer. Collaboration among leading minds, made possible by funding from organizations like Hyundai Hope on Wheels, has led to the development of comprehensive approaches to help children thrive during life after cancer, including enhanced medical records, AI integration, socioemotional support and combatting long-term side effects.
Find more information and ways you can join the fight by visiting HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
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Food and Beverage
4 Daily Brain Health Habits for Better Cognition
Daily Brain Health Habits: Your brain works hard for you, so it’s only fair to return the favor by practicing simple everyday habits to keep this important organ strong and thriving. Start by tweaking your daily routine to focus on these four habits and eating nourishing recipes like California Grape and Sardine Avocado Toast.
4 Daily Brain Health Habits for Better Cognition
(Feature Impact) Your brain works hard for you, so it’s only fair to return the favor by practicing simple everyday habits to keep this important organ strong and thriving.
Start by tweaking your daily routine to focus on these four habits.
Prioritize Sleep
Getting quality sleep is vital for proper brain function. If you find you’ve slipped into the habit of staying up later than you should or notice your sleep being disrupted during the night, those are signs to revisit your sleep hygiene practices. Start by establishing a regular bedtime and wake-up time that will give you the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep. Turn your bedroom into a comfortable refuge from the world – keep it cool and dark, and set up fans or noise machines if you need them to quiet your mind. Avoid consuming caffeine or alcohol too close to bedtime and try switching to a book instead of a screen when it’s time to wind down.
Eat Smart
Just like the rest of the body, the brain is nourished by food. Some of its favorite foods are options rich in healthy fats like fish, avocado, olive oil and nuts, as well as vegetables like leafy greens, which offer carotenoids, and fruits such as grapes, which deliver antioxidants and other polyphenols.
Combine several of these powerful brain-boosting foods at once with this California Grape and Sardine Avocado Toast recipe. The fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and the avocado offers a boost of healthy unsaturated fat, while the grapes add protective dietary flavonols, which may help promote anti-inflammatory and beneficial antioxidant activity.
A study published in the scientific journal “Neurology” found a higher intake of certain flavonols – including three naturally found in grapes – is associated with a 48% decreased risk of developing Alzheimer dementia.
Get Moving
Adding even more proof that what’s good for your body is good for your mind, getting regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your brain. Motivate yourself by choosing a form of movement you genuinely enjoy, whether it’s a daily walk on a nearby nature trail, a dance class, a bike ride or a heart-pumping workout video.
Challenge Your Mind
Don’t forget to give your brain its own workout, too. Doing something mentally stimulating every day is a great way to keep yourself sharp, and there are plenty of ideas to choose from. Try learning a new language, picking up a musical instrument, playing a mind-engaging card or board game, doing a puzzle, reading a book or immersing yourself in a creative writing or art project. The options are nearly endless, and if you want to make your brain extra happy, you can snack on handfuls of grapes as you enjoy your hobby.
Learn more about the connection between grapes and brain health and discover more recipes by visiting GrapesFromCalifornia.com.
California Grape and Sardine Avocado Toast
Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
- 1 large firm, ripe avocado, halved and pitted
- 4 small slices rustic whole grain bread (1/2-inch thick), toasted or grilled
- 1 individual container sardines in olive oil or water, drained
- 1/2 cup quartered red and black Grapes from California
- Aleppo pepper flakes
- fresh cilantro, snipped
- 1 lemon half
- salt (optional)
- With spoon, scoop avocado out of skin and use fork to coarsely mash.
- Spread onto bread slices and top with whole or torn sardines. Sprinkle grapes over sardines.
- Top with generous sprinkle of Aleppo pepper, cilantro, squeeze of fresh lemon and salt, if desired.
Nutritional information per serving: 290 calories; 11 g protein; 29 g carbohydrates; 16 g fat (50% calories from fat); 2.5 g saturated fat (8% calories from saturated fat); 20 mg cholesterol; 210 mg sodium; 6g fiber.
SOURCE:
California Table Grape Commission
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