“Basically, our main challenge continues to be late diagnosis. It is in any case essential to strengthen our prevention, screening, timely diagnosis and also specialized treatment,” he noted.
Likewise, the specialist indicated that, according to 2024 figures, 77,000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Peru and nearly 37,000 deaths associated with this disease were recorded. However, Carrillo highlighted the progress in the prevention of cervical cancer, since in 2025 the country exceeded 95% of the programmed goal of vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV).
“We have made important progress in terms of cancer prevention. One of the representative cancers in this regard is cervical cancer. […] We know that this virus is the main causal agent in this type of cancer. So, we also need to strengthen this screening and we have been doing so by incorporating molecular tests for HPV into screening,” he said.
What is needed to advance the fight against other types of cancer?
Maria Cristina Carrillo explained that, although progress has been made at the national level in the detection of cervical cancer, the same is not true with other types of cancer because the population is not accustomed to having preventive checkups.
“Our Peruvian population is not used to making preventive diagnoses. We are not used to having annual check-ups, unfortunately. And, as we know, cancer, any type of cancer, does not give you symptoms in early stages. The symptoms will appear when the cancer, unfortunately, is in advanced stages, when it is suddenly gone, it has metastasized to the liver, it gives us problems with liver disorders, pain, when the cancer suddenly goes to the lung, it gives us cough problems chronic, respiratory difficulty, so that is where we only went, unfortunately, to a health facility to be able to make a diagnosis,” he expressed.
On the other hand, cheek announced the completion of the fifteenth Peruvian Congress of Medical Oncology which will take place on September 30. The event will bring together national and international specialists, including prominent doctors from South Korea and will address the latest advances in cancer treatment, such as immunotherapy and robotic surgery.
