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Jan 31, 2024
By the Philips Foundation team
Buenos Aires, Argentina – Philips Foundation, with a mission to provide access to quality healthcare for 100 million people a year in underserved communities by 2030, together with Philips Argentina and FUCA (Fundación para la Investigación, Docencia y Prevención del Cáncer) announced today the launch of an innovative teleradiology initiative to accelerate early lung cancer diagnosis in underserved and remote areas of Argentina. In this hub-and-spoke model, FUCA collaborates with Instituto Alexander Fleming (IAF) as the central hub, providing specialized radiological expertise and training. The 13 regional hospitals participating in the initiative function as spokes, extending access to advanced radiology services in remote areas. This model ensures efficient resource utilization and streamlines communication across the network, significantly enhancing diagnostic capabilities and bringing critical healthcare services closer to patients. Critical need for early detection With the World Health Organization projecting a 47.8% increase in cancer cases in Argentina by 2040, and in South America an increase of 76.2% [1], this initiative comes at a crucial time. Lung cancer, being the leading cause of death in Latin America and the Caribbean [2], also highlights the pressing need for early detection. “In the fight against lung cancer, prevention is just as crucial as the cure. While campaigning to stop smoking is vital, early detection and timely referral and treatment can save countless lives. This is about giving people in the most remote areas a chance for an early intervention, which can mean the difference between life and death. We are proud to be a part of this life-saving mission,” says Margot Cooijmans, Director of the Philips Foundation. The initiative leverages Philips' expertise in teleradiology services delivering the right clinical images to clinicians, patients, and administrators to improve healthcare delivery, lower costs, and improve the patient experience to enhance lung cancer diagnosis capabilities in participating hospitals. Key to the project is the training of more than 50 healthcare workers to use the teleradiology system, allowing faster diagnosis and treatment plans at a distance. It is expected to impact between 20,000 and 25,000 people annually, marking a major step in improving early diagnosis and management of lung cancer for those who initially had little or no access to these services at all. Also integral to the project is the formation of a transdisciplinary committee, which will focus on lung cancer prevention, including crucial efforts in smoking cessation, underscoring the importance of prevention in reducing lung cancer incidence.
In the fight against lung cancer, prevention is just as crucial as the cure. While campaigning to stop smoking is vital, early detection and timely referral and treatment can save countless lives.
Margot Cooijmans
Director of the Philips Foundation
Ensuring long-term effectiveness and reliability The scalable and sustainable design of this project ensures broader access to early diagnosis, which is key to improving patient outcomes and increasing chances of cure. “One of our main objectives is to offer our experience as a multidisciplinary team dedicated to the early detection of lung cancer, training technical and medical human resources at the regional hospitals that require it so that they can achieve increasing autonomy over time and then become trainers of other people, thus achieving a multiplier effect of this project,” Dr. Lisandro Paganini, Deputy Chief of the Imaging Department at IAF, adds. FUCA's dedication to sustaining the project beyond its initial three-year duration underscores a commitment to its long-term effectiveness and reliability. This ongoing support is pivotal for the continued success and impact of the initiative. “Promoting the early detection of cancer is a fundamental part of FUCA’s mission. That is why we support this initiative that allows us to make available to institutions throughout the country the capabilities and technology necessary to carry out lung cancer screening. Through these studies, early diagnosis can be achieved, significantly improving the prognosis of patients and the possibilities of cure,” affirms Dr. Reinaldo Chacón, President of FUCA. The ambition extends beyond Argentina, as it also seeks to expand to other Latin American countries. With lung cancer being the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide [3] and cancer incidence and mortality rates substantially high in Latin America [1], this initiative takes a crucial step in addressing a critical public health issue, demonstrating the potential for wider regional impact. [1] Integrated Cancer Control Initiative in Latin America (2023). Addressing the rising burden of cancer in Argentina For further information, please contact: Yannick Eshuijs Ileana Carrasco
[2] The Lancet (2022). An updated profile of the cancer burden, patterns and trends in Latin America and the Caribbean
[3] Nature (2023). The global burden of lung cancer: current status and future trends
Philips Foundation
Tel.: +31 6 1852 6633
E-mail: yannick.eshuijs@philips.com
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Philips Latin America
Tel.: +507 2828058
E-mail: ileana.carrasco@philips.com
Philips Foundation is a registered non-profit organization established in 2014 – with a mission to provide access to quality healthcare for underserved communities across the globe. By leveraging Philips’ capabilities and combining them with the experience and expertise of non-governmental organizations and other community-focused and impact-driven enterprises, Philips Foundation helps create innovative pathways to open up affordable healthcare for communities most in need. By also partnering with innovative social entrepreneurs rooted in the local ecosystem, Philips Foundation aims to increase access to healthcare for 100 million people a year by 2030. More information can be found at www.philips-foundation.com Read MoreShow less
The Cancer Foundation – FUCA is a non-profit organization (Registration I.G.J. No. 33), established by Doctors Reinaldo Chacón and José Mordoh in 1983 with the mission of reducing cancer mortality through medical and community education, scientific research, and awareness for prevention and health care. FUCA supports the Clinical Oncology Residency Program, under the direction of Doctors Reinaldo and Matías Chacón, where specialists are trained with scholarships provided by the foundation. Research, led by Dr. José Mordoh, focuses on the immune system and immunotherapy in relation to various types of cancer. Prevention is promoted through the "Open Classrooms" Program and various community awareness initiatives. More info at www.fuca.org.ar Read MoreShow less
