Breast cancer mortality trends in Mexico, 1980-2009

Breast cancer has become an important health risk for women worldwide. The important growth of breast cancer-related deaths within those caused by malign tumors throughout the globe went past the 460 000 in 2008, becoming the deadliest disease worldwide. Demographic changes and lifestyles have modified the population exposure to risk factors of maladies such as cancer, and since 1980 breast cancer mortality has remained on an upward tendency, surpassing cervical cancer in 2006. After analyzing mortality rates along 30 years in Mexican women 25 or more years old, differences by state and age-groups are apparent. Although this cause of death has been associated with a highest regional development, some changes are taking place, since the number of deaths is also growing among women of less-developed regions in the country, as showed in this work. Mexico faces an evident challenge regarding breast cancer. Our country requires to join efforts and implement programs aimed at teaching self-care of health among the population, promoting healthier lifestyles, and reshaping our diagnostic infrastructure to achieve earlier detection and provide proper treatment.