Global Cancer Institute (GCI) Launches New Patient Navigation Program in Brazil

BOSTON - Aug. 2, 2017 - PRLog -- Global Cancer Institute (GCI), focused on survival and quality of underserved cancer patients worldwide, announced today that it is launching a new Patient Navigation Program in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The program goes live this week, and is intended to help promote adherence to Brazil's Law of 60 Days, which requires that all cancer patients in the public health system begin treatment within 60 days of diagnosis.

Each year, 437,600 people in Brazil are diagnosed with cancer, according to GlobalCan data. Another 224,700 die from the disease. Per capita health expenditures are just $715 USD, compared with $7,720 in the U.S.

GCI's new Rio Patient Nav program was modeled after its successful program in Mexico City, which reduced the time from diagnosis to referral to a cancer center from two months to just eleven days, helping patients get the care they need more quickly, and improving their chance of a full recovery.

Currently, adherence to Brazil's Law of 60 Days is spotty at best, according to Dr. Paul Goss, Director of Breast Center Research at Massachusetts General Hospital and Founder and Chairman of GCI. "In developing countries, it's not unusual for months to pass between a diagnosis and start of treatment. And 30 percent of the time, cancer patients are lost to follow-up completely," said Dr. Goss. "Of course the longer the delay, the more advanced the disease becomes. Many of these patients end up in emergency rooms months or years later with advanced cancers."

The one-year program will involve 100 patients from the public hospital system. It is based out of Rio Imagem in Rio de Janeiro.

Cancer death rates in developing countries are double those in the U.S. GCI's focus is bringing simple interventions and treatments that are common in the U.S – and proven to accelerate diagnosis, access and treatment – to developing countries. Patient Navigation programs, standard practice at U.S. medical centers, are a critical part of GCI's work in developing countries.

To learn more or donate, visit http://globalcancerinstitute.org/.

About Global Cancer Institute

Global Cancer Institute (GCI) is focused on the survival and quality of underserved cancer patients worldwide. Today, cancer death rates in developing countries are double those in 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 today, and proven to accelerate diagnosis, access and treatment. Learn more about our programs or donate at www. http://globalcancerinstitute.org/.