Global Cancer Institute to Launch Patient Navigation Program for Breast Cancer Patients in Brazil

BOSTON - March 10, 2017 - PRLog -- Global Cancer Institute (GCI), the only non-profit completely focused on improving survival rates for underserved cancer patients worldwide, announced today that it is expanding its well-regarded Patient Navigation Program to breast cancer patients Brazil.

In Brazil, breast cancer is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among women, with 14,206 deaths in 2013, and 57,960 estimated new cases in 2016. In 2012, the Brazilian Ministry of Health passed a law stating that treatment for cancer patients must start within 60 days of definitive diagnosis, but little has been done to help patients get to treatment, and the law is not enforced. A study from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, found that the median time from first consultation to diagnosis was 6.5 months, and that 80 percent of patients experienced a health system delay of more than three months.

The need to close the gap between diagnosis and start of treatment for breast cancer patients in Brazil was highlighted in a recent article in The Journal of Global Oncology (see: http://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/JGO.2016.006726), led by Dr. Paul Goss, Director of Breast Center Research at Massachusetts General Hospital and Founder and Chairman of GCI, and several colleagues.  The article describes the challenges these patients face in getting to treatment, including navigating insurance issues, securing referrals, and scheduling initial and follow-up appointments.

GCI already runs a successful Patient Navigation Program in Mexico City, Mexico, where it reduced the median time from diagnosis to referral to a cancer center from two months to 11 days, improving patient care and boosting survival rates.

"Patient Navigation programs are common in the U.S. and proven to help get cancer patients into treatment much more quickly," said Dr. Goss. "Breast cancer has reached epidemic proportions in Brazil, so the need for a program like this is acute. We have a solid model and process that's been refined in Mexico City and Montevideo, Uruguay, and we're excited to expand it to Brazil."

About Global Cancer Institute

Global Cancer Institute (GCI) is the only non-profit completely focused on improving survival rates for underserved cancer patients worldwide. Today, cancer death rates in developing countries are double that of the U.S. – GCI is working to close that gap. GCI works directly with physicians in developing countries to propagate simple interventions and treatments that are common in the U.S. and proven to accelerate diagnosis, access and treatment. Learn more about our programs or donate at www. http://globalcancerinstitute.org/.