Evandro de Azambuja

Academic History

Evandro de Azambuja, MD, PhD, completed his medical degree at Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, and subsequently studied internal medicine and clinical oncology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, where he remained to gain his master’s in bleomycin pulmonary toxicity. He focused mainly on testicular cancer and how to identify patients with increased risk. Whilst completing a DES in cancérologie at Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, he began his Medical Sciences PhD in prognostic and predictive biomarkers in breast cancer, where his interests have remained. After completing subsequent PhD research at Université libre de Bruxelles on the cardiotoxicity of anticancer therapies, he has been appointed Head of Medical Support and continues to focus his research in this area.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr de Azambuja was actively involved in accumulating knowledge on the impact of COVID-19 on patients with cancer, collaborating with BSMO and Sciensano. He is a prominent member of ESMO, BSMO and ASCO and is currently ESMO Director of Membership, serving on the ESMO Executive Board and ESMO Council.

Speaking on (neo)adjuvant breast cancer therapies and cardiotoxicities

Dr de Azambuja’s principal research interest is breast cancer, especially in the adjuvant/neoadjuvant settings. He is deeply involved in the conduct of large Phase III trials in breast cancer, some of which have been practice-changing, such as HERA (adjuvant trastuzumab), ALTTO (trastuzumab and/or lapatinib), APHINITY (trastuzumab with or without pertuzumab), Alexandra (adjuvant atezolizumab in triple-negative breast cancer) and Olympia (adjuvant Olaparib). He is also prominent in studies on novel drug toxicities in long-term follow-ups, with a focus on cardiotoxicity.