Eduardo Cazap, MD

2007-2008 BCRF Project:
The first phase of the BCRF-funded studies under Dr. Cazap's direction analyzed the current status of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and other medical aspects of breast cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean. A survey was carried out in nine countries (Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela and Colombia), and included the participation of nearly 100 specialists from the most important cancer centers of each country. This research provides, for the first time, reliable data on the real situation of breast cancer care in Latin America, a region of the world with 110,000 new cases of breast cancer each year (expected to triple by the year 2050).

The scientists' goal in the second stage of the project is to compare the results obtained during the first stage, which incorporates the vision and the knowledge of the leading specialists in each country, with the existing breast cancer care standards and resources of the region. During the second part of this year official information from Directors of Cancer Centers and Ministers of Health from Latin-American countries has been collected and essential information regarding the respective health care systems and coverage of the population was obtained. The SLACOM network of researchers and cancer centers will provide high quality information that will be a platform for the establishment of regional guidelines and minimal recommendations for breast cancer care. The next step is the implementation of pilot cases in Cancer Centers or Scientific Organizations from one or more countries in the region to improve breast cancer care in Latin-American women.

Mid-Year Progress Report:
The second phase of the BCRF-funded studies under Dr. Cazap's direction ended last year. It was developed with the objective of comparing the government’s regulations with the knowledge of the physicians of such regulations (mainly screening programs and guidelines for prevention, detection and treatment). The results showed that there is a multitude of guidelines, health programs and regulations related to breast cancer care in several Latin-American countries but, contrary to the popular belief, almost all experts’ opinions are consistent with the lack of governmental regulation. The norms and regulations are insufficient, not uniform, and unstructured. A practical and reliable set of recommendations widely accepted by governments and the medical community in each country of the region is urgently needed. The researchers found that time from suspicion of breast cancer to diagnosis and from diagnosis to first treatment is not very long and frequently better than those reported in many developed countries, and breast cancer treatment is quite uniform and close to international standards. In the majority of Latin-American countries, there are guidelines, norms, recommendations and other regulatory documents from governmental offices or health care systems, but most of the experts are not aware of this so the efforts are not coordinated.

During the third phase of the project, a set of minimal recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in Latin America will be established, emphasizing primary and secondary prevention and reinforcing some weak areas in diagnosis and treatment. A proposal for national governments, describing suggested activities to be performed to establish a close contact with the scientific entities for the implementation and follow-up of the minimal recommendations, will be strongly recommended. This is the first time that NGOs and the scientific community are performing health research in breast cancer in Latin America and it is expected that this action will strongly influence the care for many women.

Bio:
Eduardo Cazap became the president of the Latin American & Caribbean Society of Medical Oncology (SLACOM) in 2004 and has since become the Chairman Elect of the International Affairs Committee for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

After graduating in 1972 as a medical doctor from the University of Buenos Aires in his native city, Dr. Cazap went on to work as a specialist in medical oncology at The Universidad del Salvador and also to complete fellowships at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, New York, the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. and the American Cancer Society.

Following his role as Principal Investigator of the Collaborative Cancer Research Treatment Program in 1984 he became a Professor of Clinical Oncology at the Universidad del Salvador (1984-98) and then a Professor of Medical Oncology at the Universidad Católica Argentina (1988-2000).

As well as having published over 150 papers, Dr. Cazap has held many prominent positions in the medical arena, including the Directorship of the Instituto Dr. Estevez, Buenos Aires (1985-99) and representing Latin America and Argentina at the European Society of Medical Oncology, Lugano, Switzerland and the International Union Against Cancer, Geneva, Switzerland, respectively. He was president of The Argentine Association of Medical Oncology in 1996-98 and 2000-02. In 2000, he founded the Charter of Paris against Cancer, and he was a member of the Developed Countries Task Force for ESMO in 2002. Dr. Cazap was a member of the 2006 UICC World Congress Program Planning Executive Committee, the International Union against Cancer and the American Cancer Society. During the UICC World Cancer Congress, held in Washington D.C. in July 8-12, 2006, Dr. Cazap was elected Board Member of the International Union Against Cancer for the period 2006-2010.