Eduardo Cazap, MD

2009-2010 BCRF Project:
Breast cancer is a public health problem with near 100,000 new cases is diagnosed each year in Latin America, but very little data is available. The purpose of Dr. Cazap's ongoing research is to obtain relevant information from the Latin American patient population with diagnosis of invasive breast cancer from the databases of the main cancer centers of a group of countries of the region, in order to learn diagnostic characteristics, prognostic factors, patterns of recurrence, disease free interval and overall survival.

This is a retrospective study of patients with diagnosis of early breast cancer with more than 20 years of follow-up; the data has been obtained from clinical records of the GOCS (Grupo Oncologico Cooperativo del Sur) database in Argentina, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN) in Peru, and the Latin American Foundation for Drug Development in Porto Alegre in Brazil. BCRF support will allow the researchers to learn key data about breast cancer affecting their populations and to compare it with international data from other regions of the world. This information will provide a broad platform for more efficient breast public health actions.

This year the SLACOM researchers will continue after four years of work. The compilation of data is bringing, in a systematic manner, new insights about the reality of breast cancer in the region, allowing for development and implementation of recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, to promote improvement in breast cancer care in Latin American developing countries. The main conclusions from the network of experts are that prevention and research are the critical needs in Latin America. Based on these conclusions, a new research project will systematically review the data from Latin-American patients with diagnosis of invasive breast cancer from the databases of the main cancer centers of several countries of the region. This information to be gained is critical for the implementation of policies for breast cancer control and could serve as a platform for health care actions at governmental or private levels. Dr. Cazap and the entire group of researchers are confident that this research will continue to promote the improvement of breast cancer care in Latin American countries, primarily composed of low and middle income patients.

Bio:
Eduardo Cazap is the founder and first President of the Latin American & Caribbean Society of Medical Oncology (SLACOM) since 2004. In 2008 he was elected by the General Assembly of the International Union against Cancer (UICC) as President for the 2010-2012 term.

After graduating in 1972 as a medical doctor from the University of Buenos Aires in his native city, Dr. Cazap was resident in Internal Medicine and then specialist in medical oncology at the Military Central Hospital and the Universidad del Salvador. He also completed fellowships at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rochester, New York and the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. He was also fellow of the American Cancer Society in 1985. Following his role as Principal Investigator of the Collaborative Cancer Research Treatment Program (PAHO- NCI) in 1984, he became Professor of Clinical Oncology at the Universidad del Salvador (1984-98) and then Professor of Medical Oncology at the Universidad Católica Argentina (1988-2000).

As well as having published over 150 papers, he has held many prominent positions in the medical arena, including Medical Director of the Instituto Dr. Estevez, Buenos Aires (1985-99) and representing Latin America at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), Lugano, Switzerland. He was President of the Argentine Association of Clinical Oncology (AAOC) in 1996-98 and 2000-02. In 2000, he signed the Charter of Paris against Cancer. He has been a member of the Developing Countries Task Force for ESMO since 2002. Dr. Cazap was a member of the 2006 and 2008 UICC World Congress Program Planning Executive Committee. He is an active member of ASCO, was Chairman of ASCO’s International Affairs Committee, is member of the Cancer Prevention Committee and was also recently elected to the ASCO Board of Directors representing the international members. Dr. Cazap also chairs the International Clinical Trials Working Group (ICTWG), a joint effort of ASCO and the NCI, aimed at the improvement of independent clinical cancer research at the international level. He also leads the International Cancer Prevention Stakeholders Group, under the umbrella of UICC and with the support of ASCO, to coordinate international activities and a common strategy in cancer prevention towards improvement of global cancer control.