Ángel Roffo

Who was Ángel Roffo?

Ángel Roffo wes an Argentine doctor who dedicated his medical career to the study and treatment of cancer.

Roffo was born in the city of Buenos Aires and went on to study at the University of Buenos Aires, he graduated in 1909 with the thesis A contribution to the study of Cancer.

He became chief of practical work in the department of urology at UBA, then between 1912 and 1915 he was assigned professor of Anatomical Pathology. Between 1915 and 1931 he worked as attached professor in Anatomical Pathology.

In 1912 Daniel Cranwell presented a paper called Cáncer experimental to the Argentine National Academy of Medicine which detailed the results of his experiments on laboratory animals. This work influenced the creation of an institute for the study and treatment of cancer. In 1922 it was succeeded by the Instituto de Medicina Experimental directed by Roffo. He had become the leading cancer specialist in Latin America.

During the 1920s Roffo made numerous trips to Europe, where he met a number of leading scientists. One of these was Marie Curie, with whom he discussed the utilization of radiotherapy.