Medical teams manage complex oncology cases in Peru and Cuba

Medical specialists in Peru and Cuba are managing complex oncology cases despite varying regional challenges. In Peru, teams from the Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplásicas (INEN) and the Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño (INSN) Breña successfully performed high-complexity surgeries to remove large tumors from a 12-year-old girl and a 21-year-old woman. The 21-year-old underwent a three-stage procedure to remove an 18.7 by 17.2 centimeter tumor from her shoulder that had compromised her lung and caused limb paralysis. This intervention was fully covered by the Seguro Integral de Salud (SIS).

In Cuba, medical staff at the Instituto de Oncología y Radiobiología (INOR) are treating pediatric cancer patients facing severe resource limitations. Doctors report a decline in childhood cancer survival rates in the country, from 85% to 65%, attributed to shortages of essential medicines and supplies. While donations are received, there is a critical scarcity of specific drugs, including antiemetics, gastric protectors, antihistamines, and antibiotics necessary for supporting patients undergoing chemotherapy.