Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death in Mexico.

According to international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), cancer is the leading cause of death in childhood and adolescence.

It is estimated that approximately 28,000 new cases are diagnosed annually worldwide, although disparities in access to health services mean that survival rates vary dramatically between countries.

In countries with vulnerable economies, children are up to four times more likely to die from cancer than those living in countries with more developed health systems.

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Data from the Global Cancer Observatory (Globocan), a platform affiliated with the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), reveal that leukemias top the list of most common neoplasias—abnormal tissue growths in the body, which can be benign or malignant—in children aged 0 to 19, with more than 80,000 reported cases. They are followed by central nervous system tumors and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

In Mexico, cancer is the leading cause of death from disease among children ages 5 to 14, and the sixth leading cause among children under five. This disease accounts for nearly 70% of the total cancer burden at this stage of life, underscoring its severity and the impact it has on children's health.

During 2022, new cases were documented in various medical units across the country, including the Hospital del Niño Poblano (Puebla), the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara (Jalisco), the Eva Sámano de López Mateos General Children's Hospital (Michoacán), and the National Institute of Pediatrics (Mexico City).

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During the Mexican government's press conference on Tuesday, Dr. David Kershenobich, head of the Ministry of Health, announced a national protocol for the early diagnosis of cancer in children and adolescents.

In his presentation, Kershenobich emphasized that the current survival rate is barely 52 percent, but the goal is to raise it to 70 percent. To achieve this, it is essential to strengthen diagnostic capacity at the primary care level, especially in rural communities where access to specialized services is limited.

Unlike cancer in adults, where screening tests are available, diagnosis in children depends on clinical observation. Therefore, Kershenobich emphasized the importance of identifying warning signs such as:

• Persistent fever.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Extreme paleness.
• Recurrent bone pain.

Kershenobich also reiterated that leukemia remains the most prevalent type of cancer in childhood.

With information from the WHO and the Government of Mexico.

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