Cancer is one of the most feared diseases. Its high morbidity and, in some cases, mortality rates leave those diagnosed with a tumor feeling anxious and uncertain. In Cuba, various products developed by the national biotechnology industry provide an opportunity to improve and prolong the lives of cancer patients.

These results, supported by rigorous scientific research, are available both to the Cuban population and to individuals who come to the Island seeking a safe and effective alternative for treating their condition.

The International Health Center La Pradera is one of the facilities authorized to provide this service to foreign patients. Dr. Aliuska Venegas Godínez, an oncologist at the institution, explains that the program is highly specialized and tailored according to each patient’s type of cancer and associated comorbidities.

The specialist notes that Cuban Medical Services Marketing Company S.A. (CSMC, S.A.) offers patients, through its website and the email address smc@smcsalud.cu, combined therapies using products developed by Cuban biotechnology, unique in the world and with proven effectiveness.

“To access these treatments, patients must send their medical reports. These will be evaluated by an oncology specialist, who will determine whether any of the programs we offer could benefit them,” Dr. Venegas explains.

Among the Cuban immunotherapy programs currently applied are the vaccines CIMAvax-EGF and Vaxira, the monoclonal antibody CIMA-her (Nimotuzumab), and HeberFERON, a synergistic combination of recombinant human alpha and gamma interferons.

“In the case of CIMAvax-EGF for advanced stage III and IV non-small cell lung cancer, the vaccine acts on the epidermal growth factor receptor and is administered after a first line of chemotherapy,” explains Dr. Venegas Godínez.

“Another immunotherapy used for this type of carcinoma is Vaxira. This drug helps control tumor growth and increase patients’ life expectancy. It also improves quality of life and alleviates disease-related symptoms, helping patients feel better both physically and emotionally,” she adds.

The monoclonal antibody CIMA-her (Nimotuzumab), meanwhile, is indicated for the treatment of advanced head and neck tumors. One of its main advantages is its ability to preferentially recognize tumor cells rather than normal tissue. As a result, it can be combined with other cancer therapies, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, or administered as a standalone treatment.

HeberFERON is indicated for cancerous skin lesions of any size and location, including high-risk areas such as the so-called H-zone of the face, as well as locally advanced lesions that are difficult to treat because of their proximity to the eyes or the brain.

Among the benefits provided by this product are wound healing and tumor mass reduction. It also produces a faster and longer-lasting therapeutic response that can be maintained for at least five years, reduces the frequency of new lesions by up to eight times, and helps avoid complex periocular surgeries, thereby reducing potential complications and sequelae.

Dr. Aliuska Venegas states that, when necessary, second-line chemotherapy programs are also offered alongside immunotherapies. In addition, as part of an integrative oncology program, natural products and techniques are available to relieve symptoms associated with both the tumor itself and cancer treatments.

“We also provide diagnostic studies, imaging examinations, and laboratory tests, although these are generally indicated before the immunotherapies and treatments that we plan to administer,” she adds.

The oncologist emphasizes that one of the elements that distinguishes Cuba is its personalized care, adapted to the specific needs of each patient, their pathology, and their clinical condition.

“Our main objective is to improve the quality of life of those who come to us.”

Taken from Destino Salud Magazine

By: Yanel Blanco Miranda
Photos: Jorge Luis Baños