Dr. María José Vega Torres

Dr. María José Vega Torres is a leading medical oncologist at Clínica Kennedy in Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city and its principal commercial and healthcare hub on the Pacific coast. With nearly two decades of experience in systemic cancer treatment, Dr. Vega Torres has established herself as one of the foremost oncologists in coastal Ecuador, providing comprehensive cancer care that integrates modern chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy protocols within an accessible regional framework.

Clínica Kennedy is widely regarded as one of Ecuador's premier private healthcare institutions, and Dr. Vega Torres has been a central figure in building its oncology program into a center that can manage complex solid tumors with protocols aligned to international evidence-based guidelines. She works as part of a multidisciplinary oncology team that includes surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists, and palliative care specialists, ensuring that patients receive coordinated, comprehensive treatment plans.

Dr. Vega Torres has a particular clinical focus on breast cancer — the most prevalent malignancy in Ecuadorian women — and gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal and gastric cancer, which represent significant burdens of disease in the coastal population. She is experienced in the full range of systemic cancer therapies, from traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens to modern precision medicine approaches using targeted agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Patient-centered communication is a hallmark of Dr. Vega Torres's practice. She is known for her ability to explain complex diagnoses and treatment options with clarity and compassion, supporting patients and families through what is invariably a challenging journey. She is committed to incorporating quality-of-life considerations and patient preferences into all treatment decisions.

Dr. Vega Torres completed her medical degree at a prominent Ecuadorian university, graduating with honors before undertaking an Internal Medicine residency. Drawn to the complexity and significance of oncological disease, she pursued specialized fellowship training in Medical Oncology, gaining extensive experience in the pharmacological management of solid tumors and hematological malignancies.

She has complemented her training with advanced coursework and observerships focused on targeted therapy and immuno-oncology, reflecting the rapid evolution of cancer treatment over the past decade. Dr. Vega Torres is a regular attendee at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting and the SLACOM congress, ensuring that her clinical practice incorporates the latest advances in cancer pharmacotherapy, biomarker-driven treatment selection, and survivorship care.

She has also received training in clinical trial methodology, enabling her to enroll eligible patients in clinical studies and contribute to the growing evidence base for oncology treatments relevant to Latin American patient populations.

Dr. Vega Torres's clinical expertise spans the medical management of solid tumors across multiple organ systems. In breast oncology, she manages all stages of breast cancer — from early-stage hormone receptor-positive disease treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and endocrine therapy, to HER2-positive tumors requiring trastuzumab-based regimens, to metastatic triple-negative breast cancer managed with chemotherapy and immunotherapy combinations.

In gastrointestinal oncology, she treats colorectal cancer with FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, and bevacizumab-based protocols, and manages gastric cancer with HER2-directed therapy where appropriate. She also has experience in lung cancer management, including EGFR-targeted therapy and PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy for eligible patients.

Dr. Vega Torres is experienced in managing the toxicities of systemic cancer therapy, including chemotherapy-induced nausea, myelosuppression, immunotherapy-related adverse events, and targeted therapy skin toxicities. Her comprehensive approach to supportive oncology care helps patients maintain quality of life throughout treatment.

Dr. Vega Torres has a strong interest in understanding cancer epidemiology and outcomes in coastal Ecuadorian populations, where environmental exposures, dietary patterns, and access-to-care disparities can shape cancer presentation and prognosis differently than in high-income countries. She has presented clinical audit data on breast cancer stage at diagnosis and treatment outcomes at regional oncology meetings, highlighting opportunities for earlier detection and intervention.

She is an advocate for expanding access to molecular diagnostics and biomarker testing in Ecuador, recognizing that optimal deployment of targeted therapies requires HER2, EGFR, KRAS, and PD-L1 testing. Her work includes collaborations with pathology colleagues to improve tissue-based biomarker testing capabilities at Clínica Kennedy.

Dr. Vega Torres regularly consults with patients from across Ecuador and neighboring countries, including Peru and Colombia, who seek high-quality oncology care in Guayaquil. She conducts consultations in both Spanish and English, and Clínica Kennedy's international patient services team can facilitate medical record translation, treatment coordination, and accommodation support for patients traveling from abroad.

For international oncology patients, Dr. Vega Torres offers a structured second-opinion consultation service in which she reviews pathology reports, imaging studies, and prior treatment records to provide an independent assessment of diagnosis and treatment recommendations. Video consultations are available for initial review of records, making it possible for patients to obtain expert oncology guidance without the immediate need to travel.

Dr. Vega Torres is a recognized member of the Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Oncología Médica and holds international membership in ASCO and SLACOM. She has been acknowledged by Clínica Kennedy for her contributions to building the institution's oncology program and for her commitment to multidisciplinary cancer care. She is a sought-after speaker at national oncology symposia in Ecuador, where she presents on advances in breast cancer management, immunotherapy, and precision oncology. Her peers recognize her as a physician who combines clinical rigor with deep humanistic care for cancer patients.