Dr. Laura García Pérez

Dr. Laura García Pérez is a distinguished medical oncologist at Asociación Española — one of Montevideo's historic and highly regarded mutual aid healthcare institutions, with a tradition of excellence in clinical medicine dating back over a century. With nearly two decades of oncology practice, Dr. García Pérez has developed a reputation as one of Uruguay's most accomplished and compassionate cancer physicians, offering patients access to internationally aligned cancer treatment protocols within Uruguay's model universal healthcare system.

Uruguay is distinguished among Latin American nations for its healthcare system, which achieves outcomes comparable to many European countries through its integrated network of public and private mutualistas. The country's National Cancer Control Plan and its robust oncology infrastructure mean that patients treated at institutions like Asociación Española receive evidence-based, multidisciplinary cancer care on par with international centers. Dr. García Pérez is a product of this system and a contributor to its continued development.

Her clinical expertise centers on breast oncology — she is recognized as a leading specialist in the systemic treatment of breast cancer at all stages, from adjuvant therapy following surgery to management of metastatic disease with targeted agents, CDK4/6 inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. She also has deep expertise in hematological malignancies, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, where she applies combination chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and, in select cases, coordinates stem cell transplantation pathways.

Dr. García Pérez practices holistic oncology, integrating attention to quality of life, psychological support, nutritional guidance, and palliative care planning from the outset of cancer treatment. She works within a multidisciplinary team that includes surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, imaging specialists, pathologists, and psycho-oncologists.

Dr. García Pérez earned her MD degree from the Universidad de la República — Uruguay's flagship public university and the foundation of the national physician workforce — graduating with distinction before undertaking residency training in Internal Medicine. Her abiding interest in oncology led her to complete a structured Medical Oncology fellowship, with training in the pharmacological management of solid tumors and hematological malignancies, clinical trial participation, and supportive oncology care.

She has pursued additional training in immuno-oncology and precision medicine, attending courses and workshops organized by ESMO and ASCO on biomarker-driven cancer therapy, PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor management, and the evolving landscape of targeted therapy in breast cancer. Dr. García Pérez holds international membership in both ASCO and ESMO, giving her access to the most current clinical practice guidelines and research updates from the world's leading oncology societies.

She is also trained in the ethical and practical dimensions of clinical trial conduct, and has experience in enrolling patients in multi-center international oncology trials through established research networks.

Dr. García Pérez's oncology practice is anchored by two primary clinical specializations. In breast oncology, she manages patients at all stages of disease: adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer, endocrine therapy for hormone receptor-positive disease (including extended adjuvant therapy with aromatase inhibitors), HER2-directed therapy with trastuzumab and pertuzumab, CDK4/6 inhibitors (palbociclib, ribociclib, abemaciclib) for metastatic hormone receptor-positive disease, and immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer.

In hematological oncology, she treats non-Hodgkin lymphomas (including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and marginal zone lymphoma) with R-CHOP and related regimens, manages Hodgkin lymphoma with ABVD-based protocols, and treats multiple myeloma with modern triplet regimens incorporating proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs. She coordinates with transplantation services when autologous stem cell transplant is part of the treatment pathway.

Dr. García Pérez provides thorough supportive oncology care — including anti-emetic management, growth factor support for myelosuppression, bone-modifying agent therapy for skeletal disease, and early integration of palliative care — ensuring that patients experience the best possible quality of life throughout treatment.

Dr. García Pérez is an active participant in oncology research and has contributed to both national and international clinical investigations. Her research interests include breast cancer epidemiology in Uruguay, patterns of HER2 expression and treatment outcomes in Uruguayan patients, and the implementation of checkpoint inhibitor therapy in clinical practice within Uruguay's healthcare system — where drug approval and reimbursement pathways may differ from those in higher-income countries.

She has published clinical audit data and case series in Uruguayan and Latin American oncology journals and has presented findings at SLACOM congresses. She is a strong advocate for equitable access to oncology biomarker testing, including HER2, hormone receptor, and PD-L1 testing, recognizing that precise diagnosis is the essential prerequisite for appropriate targeted therapy selection. She participates in international clinical trials through Uruguay's connection to global oncology research networks.

Dr. García Pérez regularly provides oncology second opinions and treatment consultation for patients from Argentina, Brazil, and beyond who seek assessment in Montevideo's well-organized healthcare environment. Uruguay's geographic and cultural accessibility from the Río de la Plata region makes it a practical destination for patients seeking quality oncology care with minimal travel burden.

She conducts consultations in Spanish and English and is available for video consultations to review pathology reports, imaging studies, and prior treatment records as part of a structured oncology second-opinion service. Asociación Española's international patient team can coordinate appointment scheduling, accommodation recommendations, and ongoing communication with patients' home-country oncologists to ensure continuity of care following a Montevideo consultation.

Dr. García Pérez is a member of the Sociedad Uruguaya de Oncología Médica (SUOM), SLACOM, ASCO, and ESMO. She has been recognized by Asociación Española for her contributions to the development of the institution's oncology program and for her commitment to multidisciplinary cancer care. She is a regular speaker at the Uruguayan oncology congresses and has been honored by SUOM for her contributions to oncology education, clinical guidelines development, and patient advocacy in Uruguay. Her peers regard her as a physician who combines scientific rigor with exceptional compassion for patients navigating cancer diagnoses.