Objective: To determine childhood and adolescent cancer mortality by the level of marginalization in Mexico.
Materials and methods: We used 1990-2009 death certificates estimating age-standardized rates. We calculated the Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) using the Joinpoint Regression program available at the National Cancer Institute to assess tendency.
Results: Cancer mortality rates increased. AAPC were 0.87% male and 0.96% female children, and for adolescents were: males 1.22% and females 0.63%. The neoplasm pattern in infants was leukemia -central nervous system- lymphomas; and in adolescents it was leukemia -bone and articulation- lymphomas. The increase in cancer mortality corresponded to the high and highest marginated areas of each state.
Conclusion: The increase in highly marginated areas may be partly explained by well-documented local registration of deaths. Further studies focusing on survival are required in order to better assess the effectiveness of cancer detection and medical treatment in our country.