5801 - Implementing a Population-Based Cancer Registries Network in Mexico

Background

Malignant tumors represent a major public health problem in the world and Mexico is not the exception. The development of Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCR) that collect cancer cases in a determined locality and help evaluate health programs is fundamental. In Mexico there were only a couple of attempts on hospital and histopathological registries, reason why it was decided to implement a PBCR, named as the National Network of Cancer Registries (NNCR).

Methods

During the creation process, support was received from the International Agency of Research in Cancer (IARC), through the Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development. The NNRC is operated in a central level located in Mexico City, and the cases in the sources of information established are registered in a national registration form composed of 29 variables structured and standardized according to international guidelines. The collection and administration of information is done through a technological system, called RedCancerMX in a mobile and web application hosted on the cloud.

Results

In 2016, the General Health Law was modified to create the National Cancer Registry and in 2017 it was approved. In July 2018 the regulations of the NNCR are published, which establishes the bases for organization, integration and coordination. To the date, the NNCR is active in 8 cities, reaching 10% of national coverage. The process of integration of each city to the NNCR, included a feasibility analysis, validation and training. The process of obtaining data covers subprocesses of collection, validation and authorization carried out by medical specialists. RedCancerMX had integrated 11 validations established by international organizations to guarantee the quality of the information and they are aligned to quality indicators proposed by the IARC: comparability, validity, timeliness and completeness.

Conclusions

In Mexico, the NNCR is already established, which is considered an epidemiological surveillance system with national, active and continuous validity. This NNCR will allow us to determine the incidence of cancer and survival rates in the Mexican population, helping to implement new and better strategies for cancer control.

Clinical trial identification

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

Instituto Nacional de Cancerología.

Funding

Has not received any funding.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.