The burden of noncommunicable diseases, which includes cancer, is increasing rapidly in Africa.

The Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa include Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Principe, which form an interstate organization known as PALOP. These PALOP, in order to better coordinate actions to control cancer, gathered at the 9th AORTIC International Conference in Durban, South Africa, and decided to work together. From this moment, the PALOP Oncology Group was created.

The first cancer meeting organized by the PALOP happened in October 2014 in Luanda, Angola. In 2016, the second cancer conference was organized in Maputo, Mozambique and the third one, entitled ‘Quality in cancer care, optimization of cancer units, cancer education and training” took place in 2018 in Praia, Cape Verde.

These conferences have the scientific support of the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), and are dedicated to the improvement of cancer care in PALOP.