The burden of cancer in Mexico, 1990-2013

To analyze mortality and incidence for 28 cancers by deprivation status, age and sex from 1990 to 2013.

The data and methodological approaches provided by the Global Burden of Disease (GBD 2013) were used.

Trends from 1990 to 2013 show important changes in cancer epidemiology in Mexico. While some cancers show a decreasing trend in incidence and mortality (lung, cervical) others emerge as relevant health priorities (prostate, breast, stomach, colorectal and liver cancer). Age standardized incidence and mortality rates for all cancers are higher in the northern states while the central states show a decreasing trend in the mortality rate. The analysis show that infection related cancers like cervical or liver cancer play a bigger role in more deprived states and that cancers with risk factors related to lifestyle like colorectal cancer are more common in less marginalized states.

The burden of cancer in Mexico shows complex regional patterns by age, sex, types of cancer and deprivation status. Creation of a national cancer registry is crucial.