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News
Despite Latin American sites appearing in 96% of pivotal GU and skin cancer trials, Latino patients made up just 3.35% of participants. A new study in The Oncologist reveals that enrollment was concentrated in only 5 countries, and ethnicity data was rarely reported in primary results. Researchers warn this gap undermines the global applicability of cancer treatment evidence.
Latin American patients are being left out of the cancer research that shapes their treatment. A new analysis of 46 pivotal phase 2 and 3 genitourinary (GU) and skin cancer trials published between 2015 and 2024 found that only 1,303 of 38,900 participants — just 3.35% — were identified as Hispanic/Latino, even though Latin American trial sites appeared in 44 of the 46 studies.
The geographic spread was also narrow. Trial participation came from just five countries: Brazil (16 trials), Argentina (14), Chile (13), Mexico (12), and Colombia (6). Ethnicity data was rarely front and center — Hispanic/Latino representation appeared in primary tables for only 2 trials, with most data buried in supplementary materials or ClinicalTrials.gov records.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: When a region's patients are underrepresented in the trials that set global treatment standards, those standards may not work as well — or be as accessible — for those populations. Researchers are calling for intentional trial design, stronger regional investment, and policies that go beyond token site inclusion to achieve meaningful representation.
