Targeting cancer with the resources at hand: rolando camacho, MD, national oncology group

Rolando Camacho was born in Pinar del R�o-Cuba's westernmost province and, ironically enough, home to the country's richest tobacco-producing farmlands. He was about to leave for an engineering scholarship abroad when he accompanied a friend to medical school on the first day of classes in Havana, a bus ride that changed his life. Since completing his oncology residency in 1985, Dr Camacho has served as director of Pinar del R�o's Cancer Control Program, chair of the National Cancer Control Program, director of the National Oncology and Radiobiology Institute (INOR), and today, chair of the National Oncology Group. The Group advises the Ministry of Public Health through its National Cancer Control Unit on questions of cancer control policy, planning and development of human resources for cancer care, structure of services, material resource planning and cancer research. Since 1988, breast cancer has been a particular focus for Dr Camacho's research, practice and teaching. MEDICC Review spoke with Dr. Camacho for his views on the problem of cancer in Cuba, and the prospects for more effective control.