title: AMOR: a proposed cooperative effort to improve outcomes of childhood cancer in Central America.
abstract: The dramatic reduction of pediatric cancer mortality rates has been one of the greatest accomplishments of contemporary medicine. About 80% of children with cancer are now expected to be cured by current therapies. However, most of the world's children have no access to cancer treatment. The translation of effective pediatric cancer therapies to impoverished regions of the world presents an enormous challenge to the health care profession. Over the past 20 years, efforts have been under way to extend adequate cancer treatment to an increasing number of children in developing countries. These initiatives, collectively designated "twinning programs," consist essentially of a partnership between a pediatric cancer unit in a developing country and a group of health care providers in the developed world. Here we review the twinning programs that have been implemented in Central America, discuss their impact on the development of local resources and the outcome of childhood cancer, and propose a collaborative research initiative aimed at improving the international dissemination of progress in pediatric hematology-oncology.
authors.affiliation: Unidad Nacional de Oncologia Pediatrica, Hospital Roosevelt, Guatemala City, Guatemala.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Antillon
authors.forename: Fulgencio L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Baez
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.forename: Jose C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barrantes Zamorra
authors.forename: Ligia Fu
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: Belgica
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Miguel M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bonilla
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tognoni
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Valsecch
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Raul C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Masera
mesh_terms: D002489:Central America; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007558:Italy; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D009656:North America; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration*