Episode 07: Detecting Cancer Before It Speaks: Public University, Patient Advocates & an Algorithm in Costa Rica

What happens when a research university and a global patient-advocacy organization set out to catch cancer before symptoms appear? In this episode   ⁨ @jainamit74 of  ⁨ @Precision_Pulse_with_Amit sat with Rodrigo Mora of CICICA,  University of Costa Rica and Maria Lourdes of  ⁨ @Inspire2liveChannel and discussed real-world implementation of a clinical diagnostic test (OncoSeek) for early risk assessment across 9 types of cancer, built through a partnership between the University of Costa Rica (CICICA – Cirugía y Cáncer) and Inspire2Live in Costa Rica.

Few moments that stayed with us forever:
* If the algorithm flags a high risk of cancer, it can also determine the tissue of origin — not just whether someone is high-risk, but the possible location

* In oncology, the problem is the huge waiting lists — patients wait a year for a colonoscopy, two years for a mammography. A tool that tells you whether you might have one of nine cancers offers real relief

* Many physicians came to take the test themselves — even our health minister came to have it done. People really believe in this

* Technology and patient education can't be separated — you have to be just as clear about a test's limitations as its promise

Grateful to Rodrigo Mora and Maria Lourdes for a candid conversation

#precisionmedicine  #diagnostics  #earlydetection  #cancerscreening  #cdx  #PatientAdvocacy #oncology  #NIAMBIO #lifestyle