Part III: Breast cancer screening in Mexico

Oct 22, 2003

AuntMinnie.com is pleased to present the final installment of our three-part series on breast cancer issues in the international community.

In many countries, the early diagnosis of breast cancer with mammography and other imaging modalities has led to a certain level of control over the rate of mortality from this disease.

Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case in Mexico. Breast cancer is the second most frequent malignant neoplasm found in Mexican women, who must contend with such risk factors as early onset of menarche, late age at menopause, late first full-term pregnancy, obesity, and family history (Salud Pública de México, January-February 2000, Vol. 42:1, pp. 26-33).

According to Mexican public health specialists, mortality due to breast cancer rose by 2% to 15.12% per 100,000 women over the age of 24 in the last few years. Dr. Lizabeth López-Carrillo and colleagues explored some of the reasons for this jump in the following paper:

López-Carrillo L, Torres-Sánchez L, López-Cervantes M, Rueda-Neria C. Identificación de lesiones mammarias malignas en México. Salud Pública Mexicana 2001, Vol. 43, pp. 199-202. Published with permission.

Click below to download the document in PDF format.