UPR mourns death of Comprehensive Cancer Center director

Dr. Humberto Guiot was the executive director of the University of Puerto Rico’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.

By THE STAR STAFF

The University of Puerto Rico’s Medical Sciences Campus (RCM-UPR) announced with deep sorrow the passing of Dr. Humberto M. Guiot, executive director of the UPR Comprehensive Cancer Center, on Monday. He was 47.

Guiot, an accomplished infectious disease specialist and esteemed faculty member of the UPR School of Medicine, also served as interim dean of the medical school. His leadership extended to the Puerto Rico Infectious Diseases Society, where he was a past president.

Guiot earned his bachelor of science degree in general sciences and medical degree from UPR before completing an internal medicine residency and infectious diseases fellowship at RCM-UPR. He was board-certified in both internal medicine and infectious diseases and held fellowships with the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

A dedicated educator and researcher, Guiot was a professor in both the Department of Medicine and the Department of Microbiology & Medical Zoology. He played a central role in the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program and led projects on HPV-related anal conditions, serving as founder and primary clinician at UPR’s Anal Neoplasia Clinic. Since 2011, he had participated in NIH- and NCI-funded studies, including the AIDS Malignancy Consortium and the ANCHOR trial.

In July 2024, amid his own battle with cancer, Guiot was appointed interim executive director of the Cancer Center. Colleagues emphasized that even during the hardest days of his illness, he remained at his post, “working from his hospital bed.”

Diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in March 2023 -- initially misidentified as kidney cancer -- Guiot underwent chemotherapy and surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, hospitalizations, and eventually participated in a clinical trial for adagrasib. By mid‑2024, he had achieved significant tumor remission.

“Though he battled illness, he channeled his patient experience into growing the Center with greater empathy,” said Dr. William Méndez Latalladi, chairman of the Cancer Center’s board. “His illness made him an even better physician.”

University Chancellor Myrna Quiñones Feliciano echoed the sentiment.

“We mourn the loss of a cherished friend, extraordinary professor, inspiring physician, and dedicated faculty member,” she said. “… His legacy will endure in the lives of his students, patients, and colleagues.”

Guiot’s was a legacy marked by compassion, service and humanity, the RCM-UPR statement noted.

The campus community extended its deepest condolences to Dr. Guiot’s family and loved ones, praying for peace and strength during this profound loss, the statement added.