Leveraging Brazil's Health Networks for Early Lung Cancer Detection

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / September 24, 2026 / In Brazil, lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality, with approximately 85% of cases diagnosed at an advanced stage. Much of this diagnostic delay stems from systemic fragmentation: While the country's decentralized Unified Health System, or SUS, has built one of Latin America's largest and most digitally-integrated tuberculosis, or TB, care networks, its oncology landscape remains disconnected from primary healthcare - making late-stage diagnoses a major driver of regional healthcare gaps. Institutionalizing integrated care models offers a critical opportunity to maximize limited resources, break down system silos, and save lives in lower-resource settings.

In this interview, Helen McGuire, PATH's global lead for noncommunicable diseases, and Camilo Manchola-Castillo, senior director at Global Health Strategies in Latin America, discuss a six-month landscape assessment funded by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, or BMS Foundation. They explore how positioning Brazil's established TB platform as a gateway for early lung cancer detection can transform patient outcomes across the region.