In this episode of On Coffee, Vahe Grigoryan, Editorial Director of OncoDaily speaks with Dr. Santiago Fontes, a medical oncologist from Uruguay specializing in gastrointestinal cancers and immuno-oncology. They talk about his path into oncology, why immunology inspired him to become an oncologist, and why gastrointestinal cancers, especially colorectal cancer, became his focus.
We dive into Uruguay’s unusually high incidence of colorectal cancer, the role of diet and lifestyle, and why more young people are now developing colorectal cancer. Santiago also shares what palliative care has taught him about treating patients beyond tumor shrinkage and scan results, why’s quality of life, time with family, and humanity matter just as much.
And yes, there’s mate, plenty of coffee talk, life outside the hospital, books, sunsets, and the very personal question of who Santiago would choose to share one last mate with.