Dr. Elisabeth Arrojo
Elisabeth Arrojo, Doctor of Medicine and founder of the Institute of Advanced Oncology and the National Center for Cancer Prevention in Spain, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Humanities of Lanzarote, and Numerary Member of the Royal European Academy of Doctors (READ), was the subject of a feature article published on October 22 by the digital newspaper El Español, covering her induction into the Royal Corporation, which took place that same day at the Grand Amphitheatre of the College of Physicians of Madrid.
The new Academician delivered her inaugural speech, “Shared Health: From the Doctor Who Sows Science and Humanity to the Patient Who Cultivates and Harvests Life,” in which she called for a more human-centered approach to medicine—one that emphasizes the preservation of health and involves not only patients, their families, and friends but society as a whole.
“This recognition is an immense honor, but also a great responsibility. The medicine of the future must focus on prevention, the mind-body connection, and improving people’s quality of life,” stated Dr. Arrojo. “Being a Numerary Member is not only a prestigious title but also a commitment to advancing and sharing knowledge. From my new position in the READ, I will continue working passionately to promote innovation and research in comprehensive health.”
The article also highlights Arrojo’s reminder that around 40% of cancer cases could be prevented through the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits.
Drawing on her pioneering experience in oncology—based on an integrative approach centered on the person rather than the disease—the new Academician advocated for a model of medicine that combines innovation and scientific evidence with empathy, awareness, responsibility, and ethical integrity. She offered practical insights for contributing to cancer prevention and treatment as a patient, relative, or citizen, based on the premise that the true medical revolution lies not only in curing, but also in caring, accompanying, and transforming health into an act of solidarity, responsibility, and awareness.
Arrojo situated her speech in the tension between technological progress and the loss of emotional connection in medical practice. “We have never possessed so much scientific knowledge, and yet we have rarely been so in need of wisdom,” she reflected during her address. The oncologist emphasized the need to train doctors capable not only of curing but also of accompanying patients, reminding the audience that healthcare professionals often suffer from emotional overload that threatens their vocation. In this regard, she called for medical education to include emotional management and self-care tools, which she considers essential to sustaining the mental health of practitioners themselves.
After earning her degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Navarra, where she was selected as the only internal student of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University Clinic of Navarra, Arrojo specialized in Radiation Oncology, completing her residency at the Central Hospital of Asturias. She began her medical career at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, where she developed a pioneering technique for breast cancer treatment, reducing the number of radiotherapy sessions from 33 to a single outpatient session—while also lowering the radiation dose to healthy tissues.
The now-renowned oncologist later moved to Michigan, where she continued her professional career at the international oncology center 21st Century Oncology, serving as Research Coordinator. For her contributions, she was recognized as an Extraordinary Person in Science and honored by the American Brachytherapy Society.
Holding a PhD cum laude from the University of Oviedo with her thesis “Urethral Protection in the Treatment of Prostate Cancer with Radiotherapy,” Arrojo has become one of the leading experts in oncological pain management and nutrition. She is the principal investigator in ongoing oncothermia research projects at both the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital and the Institute of Advanced Oncology. Her work has earned her multiple prestigious awards in recent years, including the National Medicine Award (2021), the European Medicine Award in the category of Oncology (2021 and 2022), and the European Doctor Fleming Award for Healthcare Excellence, among others.
