Radiotherapy is a cornerstone of modern cancer care, used either as a curative treatment or to provide palliative relief for advanced disease. It relies on ionising radiation delivered through specialised equipment to destroy cancer cells while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Data from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) classify radiotherapy equipment into several categories reflecting different treatment technologies (WHO, 2021[1]). Photon and electron beam radiotherapy units – usually linear accelerators or cobalt‑60 teletherapy machines – are the most common and form the backbone of external beam radiotherapy worldwide. Brachytherapy units deliver radiation internally through sealed radioactive sources placed inside or close to the tumour. X-ray generators provide lower-energy radiation typically used for superficial treatments, while proton and ion therapy systems represent highly specialised particle‑beam technologies capable of delivering very precise radiation doses with reduced damage to surrounding tissues.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, radiotherapy infrastructure varies widely across countries, reflecting differences in health system resources (Elbanna et al., 2023[2]). Figure 5.3 shows the availability of radiotherapy equipment relative to cancer burden, measured as the number of radiotherapy units per 1 000 cancer cases. On average, LAC countries have about 1.38 radiotherapy units per 1 000 cancer cases, slightly below the OECD average of 1.45.
Availability varies widely across countries in the region. Some smaller countries report relatively high levels of equipment relative to cancer incidence, including Barbados (3.6 units per 1 000 cancer cases) and Suriname (2.7), while Uruguay (1.8) and Guyana (1.6) also exceed the OECD average. In contrast, several large countries have lower availability, including Cuba (0.66), Brazil (0.86) and Chile (0.89), while Colombia, Peru, Honduras and Nicaragua report around one unit per 1 000 cancer cases. The composition of radiotherapy equipment also differs across regions. In LAC, photon and electron beam units account for about 1.05 units per 1 000 cancer cases, compared with 1.17 in OECD countries, while brachytherapy availability is slightly higher in LAC (0.32) than in the OECD (0.24). Proton or ion therapy systems (0.01 per 1 000 cancer cases) are present in OECD countries but not reported in LAC, indicating more limited access to advanced radiotherapy technologies in the region (Figure 5.4).
While some countries have expanded access to modern external beam technologies, radiotherapy equipment remains highly concentrated in major cities in many LAC countries, creating geographical disparities in access to treatment. On average, about 62% of radiotherapy units are located in the capital city and 69% in the two largest cities, compared with 25% and 40% respectively in OECD countries (Figure 5.4).
Other medical technologies, including computed tomography (CT) scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) units and mammography equipment, are essential for diagnosing diseases and detecting conditions such as cancer at earlier stages. Internationally comparable and up-to-date data on their availability in LAC remain limited, with the most recent comprehensive source being the WHO Global Atlas of Medical Devices 2022, used in Health at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2023 (OECD/The World Bank, 2023[3]). Improving monitoring of these technologies is important as demand for diagnostic imaging grows and investment in capital-intensive equipment expands across the region.
