Central American cancer treatment landscape sees new immunotherapy advances

New therapeutic options are emerging in Central America to address significant challenges in cancer diagnosis and treatment. In Costa Rica, the introduction of Durvalumab, an immunotherapy developed by AstraZeneca, offers a new perioperative treatment protocol for operable gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers. Based on the Phase III Matterhorn study, this treatment—used alongside standard chemotherapy—has shown a 29% reduction in the risk of disease recurrence, progression, or death, and a 22% reduction in overall mortality risk.

Across the broader Central American region, including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, healthcare professionals face difficulties due to late-stage diagnoses and limited access to advanced therapies. The region records over 73,000 new cancer cases annually according to the World Health Organization's GLOBOCAN. While new targeted therapies like cabozantinib are being introduced for conditions such as advanced renal carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, regulatory approval processes for certain indications remain ongoing in several countries.