Why should Brazil (LATIN AMERICA), a country (ONE REGION) with so many basic health problems, with problems of lack of sanitation and education, invest in cancer research? Isn't this for countries that have already overcome these difficulties?

Because it will be the leading cause of death for years to come. Carrying a great social and economic impact. It is unquestionable that Latin American countries need to solve important social and public health problems, such as access to basic health, sanitation, and education. However, investments cannot be focused only on these areas, as this way we would be taking away from our cancer patients the possibility of having access to the latest scientific advances that benefit patients around the world. The probability of dying after a cancer diagnosis is twice as likely in Latin America as in the United States or Europe. This reality can only be changed by facilitating access to the new treatments that are now available thanks to research. Thus, the resources allocated for research development are converted into direct benefits for the population, opening opportunities for access to state-of-the-art treatments that are not funded by public health systems (and, often, because they deal with new drugs, are not available even in private systems). Research and the production of local knowledge are the main weapons to change the condition of our continent, where most patients receive lower treatments than those received elsewhere.