The Ministry of Health of Peru announced on April 16 that it is commemorating the Día de la Cancerología Peruana, honoring Dr. Eduardo Cáceres Graziani, a leading researcher in oncology and founder of the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases (INEN), recognized as the “Father of Peruvian Oncology.”
The event highlights the importance of Dr. Cáceres Graziani’s contributions to cancer medicine in Peru and his role in shaping public health policies. The ministry aims to draw attention to ongoing efforts for early cancer detection and equitable access to treatment.
Essy Maradiegue, executive director at the Directorate for Prevention and Control of Cancer at the Ministry, said, “Today not only do we celebrate a medical specialty, but also the life of a man who transformed scarcity into hope. Dr. Eduardo Cáceres Graziani taught us that fighting cancer requires scientific rigor but above all an unbreakable will to decentralize care and put patients at the center of every decision.”
Maradiegue also said that building an efficient national oncology network is one way for the state to honor his legacy. She explained that under Peru’s National Cancer Law, authorities are working so early diagnosis and timely treatment become accessible rights rather than privileges.
“Our commitment is to ensure that no Peruvian—regardless of their geographic location—arrives late for a consultation,” Maradiegue said. “We are strengthening primary care services and closing equipment gaps, replicating that spirit of service which Dr. Cáceres sowed at INEN and which should extend throughout every region in Peru.”
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to continue promoting early detection as key to curing cancer while upholding standards set by Dr. Cáceres Graziani in Peruvian medicine. It also highlighted free vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) for children and adolescents aged 9–18 years old, along with regular preventive exams available without cost at public health centers.
