City Cancer Challenge
City project

Capacity Development for radiotherapy in León

Improving Radiotherapy Quality in Léon
City
León, Mexico
Project lead
Dr. Alejandro Olmos Guzmán
Areas of action

The challenge

  • At the national level, Mexico faces the challenge of expanding equitable access to advanced oncological therapies, especially in regions outside the major metropolitan areas. 
  • The city of León, Guanajuato, has become a regional hub for high-specialty healthcare services, with growing hospital infrastructure and an increasing population that demands state-of-the-art oncological care, by 2026, two new radiotherapy equipment  will begin operating, one in private medicine and the other in public federal sector. 
  • However, the availability of specialised personnel trained in the use, calibration, and clinical application of new radiotherapy technologies remains limited.

The goal

  • Strengthening the technical and clinical competencies required for the safe and effective use of modalities such as radiosurgery, Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT), and other special techniques. 
  • Provide specialised training in cranial and body radiosurgery for radiation oncologists, enabling them to design and implement a radiosurgery service focused on the main cancers: breast, prostate, lung, and central nervous system with the objective of improving the quality and access to treatment of patients with advanced radiosurgery techniques.

The How

  • With the implementation of a training program in new technologies in radiation therapy to contribute to local and regional capacity building, promoting knowledge transfer, continuous professional development, and quality improvement in radiotherapy services. Furthermore, this initiative aligns with the goals of the National Cancer Control Strategy and with international efforts led by organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen radiotherapy systems in middle-income countries.

Outputs

  • Training programme in new technologies in Radiotherapy, SBRT and other special techniques).

Team

Project Lead
Dr. Alejandro Olmos Guzmán, Radiation Oncologist, High Specialty Medical Unit of Bajío, Specialty Hospital No. 1, Bajío National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
Project Team
Dr. Alejandro Olmos Guzmán, Radiation Oncologist, High Specialty Medical Unit of Bajío, Specialty Hospital No. 1, Bajío National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
Dr. Luis Antonio Parra, Radiation Oncologist, High Specialty Medical Unit of Bajío, Specialty Hospital No. 1, Bajío National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
Radiotherapy Technician Graciela Cervantes, High Specialty Medical Unit of Bajío, Specialty Hospital No. 1, Bajío National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
Dosimetrist Technician Martín Escutia, High Specialty Medical Unit of Bajío, Specialty Hospital No. 1, Bajío National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
Dr. Plácido Domingo Esqueda, High Specialty Medical Unit of Bajío, Specialty Hospital No. 1, Bajío National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
Dr. Onix Garay Villar, National Head of Radiation Oncology; President of the Mexican Council for Certification in Radiotherapy A.C., Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
Dr. Rosalía Souto, Radiation Oncologist; Head of the Radiotherapy Department, High Specialty Medical Unit of Bajío, Specialty Hospital No. 1, Bajío National Medical Center, Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)
Dr. José Cruz Alaís Cruz, Radiation Oncologist, Specialized Oncology Center, Hospital Arranda de la Parra
Dr. Juan Reyes Nava, Radiation Oncologist, Specialized Oncology Center, Hospital Arranda de la Parra

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