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Review
. 2025 Jun 12:48:101147.
doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2025.101147. eCollection 2025 Aug.

Main challenges to cancer care in Latin America: an analysis through breast cancer lenses

Gonzalo Gomez-Abuin  1 , Pablo Mandó  2 , Guiseppe Curigliano  3   4 , Carlos H Barrios  5
Affiliations
Review

Main challenges to cancer care in Latin America: an analysis through breast cancer lenses

Gonzalo Gomez-Abuin et al. Lancet Reg Health Am. .

Abstract

The manuscript underscores the intricate challenges in breast cancer (BC) care across Latin America, characterized by economic, social, and healthcare system disparities. Limited high-quality cancer registries hinder research and policy development, exacerbating uneven access to medical care and BC mortality disparities. The healthcare systems' fragmentation results in delays in critical interventions, affecting a significant proportion of young women diagnosed at advanced stages. The scarcity of comprehensive healthcare data and the absence of coordinated efforts intensify these challenges. The manuscript advocates for collaborative initiatives, supporting local research groups and fostering communication among countries to address BC care disparities. It emphasizes the vital role of national care plans and universal healthcare systems, aligning with global objectives to reduce BC mortality and enhance healthcare access for all women in Latin America, irrespective of socioeconomic status.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Breast cancer early detection; Cancer care access; Health system disparities; Latin America; Resource-stratified guidelines.

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Conflict of interest statement

GGA: declares consulting fees from Novartis, AstraZeneca, Roche, Pfizer, Lilly, and MSD; honoraria from Novartis, AstraZeneca, Lilly, MSD, and GlaxoSmithKline; support for attending meetings and/or travel from AstraZeneca, Novartis, Gador, Raffo, and GlaxoSmithKline; and participation on data safety monitoring or advisory boards for Novartis, AstraZeneca, Roche, Pfizer, Lilly, and MSD. PM: declares consulting fees from Novartis, AstraZeneca, Roche and MSD; honoraria from Novartis, AstraZeneca, Roche, Pfizer and MSD; support for attending meetings and/or travel from Novartis, AstraZeneca and Roche. GC: declares participation at Advisory Boards for Roche, Novartis, Lilly, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Daichii Sankyo, Ellipsis, Veracyte, Exact Science, Celcuity, Merck, BMS, Gilead, Sanofi, and Menarini. CHB: declares consulting fees from Boehringer-Ingelheim, GSK, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche/Genentech, Eisai, Bayer, MSD, Astra Zeneca, Zodiac, Lilly, Sanofi, and Daiichi; honoraria from Gilead, GSK, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche/Genentech, Eisai, Bayer, MSD, Astra Zeneca, Zodiac, Lilly, Sanofi, and Daiichi; support for attending meetings and/or travel from Gilead, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche/Genentech, MSD, Astra Zeneca, Lilly, Sanofi, Daiichi, and Roche; participation on a Data Safety Monitoring Board or Advisory Board for Gilead, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche/Genentech, MSD, Astra Zeneca, Lilly, Sanofi, Daiichi, and Roche; and stock or stock options in MED SIR and Thummi.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Main challenges for Latin American countries in relation to BC.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Increased proportion of breast cancer cases in young women. Adapted from Villarreal-Garza, C et al. Oncologist. 2013 Dec; 18 (12): 1298–1306. A: Latin America; B: North America.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Optimal timing and main barriers to avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment initiation.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Essential curative intervention results in triple negative breast cancer for patients in KEYNOTE 522 trial.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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