Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Globalization and Health
Published in: Globalization and Health 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research

Breast cancer policy in Latin America: account of achievements and challenges in five countries

Authors: Gustavo Nigenda, Maria Cecilia Gonzalez-Robledo, Luz Maria Gonzalez-Robledo, Rosa Maria Bejarano-Arias

Published in: Globalization and Health | Issue 1/2016

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

The recent increase of breast cancer mortality has put on alert to most countries in the region. However it has taken some time before breast cancer could be considered as a relevant problem. Only in recent years breast cancer has been considered a priority in some Latin American countries and resources have been mobilized to confront the problem at the institutional level. The article analyzes the efforts made in five Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela) in the last 15 years to design and implement policies to address the growing incidence of breast cancer.

Methods

Data was collected between July and December 2010 from both primary and secondary sources. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from governmental and non-governmental organizations. Secondary data was obtained from publications in journals, government reports and official statistics in each country. Analysis combines information from both types of sources.

Results

Countries have followed different paths and are in different stages of policy implementation. In all cases early detection is a key strategy. Through the design of programs and guidelines, the allocation of financial resources to treat patients, as well as a formally structured information system, Brazil and Mexico have been able to set up comprehensive national policies. Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela have made important advancements but not yet capable of coordinating comprehensive national policies.

Conclusion

Breast cancer is being considered a priority in all five countries but there are different stages in the rolling out of comprehensive national policies due to differences in their capacity to allocate resources, implement operational strategies and encourage the participation of relevant stakeholders.
Footnotes
1
The norm was revised in 2010. It now defines mammography at 40 every two years.
 
Literature
1.
2.
Anderson B, Shyyan R, Eniu A, Smith R, Yip CH, Senel Bese N, Chow LWC, Masood S, Ramsey SD, Carlson R. Breast Cancer in Limited-Resource Countries: An Overview of the Breast Health Global Initiative 2005 Guidelines. Breast J. 2006;12(s1):S3–S15.
3.
Anderson B, Yip C, Ramsey S, Bengua R, Bram S, Fitch M, et al. Breast Cancer in Limited- Resource Countries: Health Care Systems and Public Policy. The Breast Journal. Volume 12, Issue Supplement s1, pages S54–S69, January 2006b. Arias SA, Murillo-Moreno RH, Piñeros M, Bravo MM, Hernández G, Pardo C, et al. Prioridades de investigación para el control del cáncer en Colombia. Rev Colomb Cancerol. 2007;11:155–67.
4.
Azenha G, Bass LP, Caleffi M, Smith R, Pretorius L, Durstine A, Perez, C. P. The role of breast cancer civil society in different resource settings. Breast. 2011;20:S81–7.
5.
Bérubé S, Provencher L, Robert J, Jacob S, Hébert-Croteau N, Lemieux J, Duchesne T, Brisson J. Quantitative exploration of possible reasons for the recent improvement in breast cancer survival. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007;106:419–31.
6.
Broeders M, Moss S, Nyström L, et al. The impact of mammographic screening on breast cancer mortality in Europe: a review of observational studies. J Med Screen. 2012;19 suppl 1:14–25.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Brown ML, Yabroff KR. Economic impact of cancer in the United States. In: Schottenfeld D, Fraumeni JF, editors. Cancer epidemiology and prevention. 3rd ed. New York (NY): Oxford University Press; 2006.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Davidson AS, Liao X, Magee BD. Attitudes of women in their forties toward the 2009 USPSTF mammogram guidelines: a randomized trial on the effects of media exposure. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2011;205:30. e 1-7.CrossRefPubMed
12.
13.
Frenk J. Sensibilización, detección temprana y combate a los prejuicios. Claves en la lucha contra el cáncer de mama. Salud Publica Mex. 2009;51(2):135–7.CrossRef
14.
Forouzanfar MH, Foreman KJ, Delossantos AM, Lozano R, Lopez AD, Murray CJ, Naghavi, M. Breast and cervical cancer in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010: a systematic analysis. Lancet. 2011;378(9801):1461–84.
15.
16.
Giordano L, von Karsa L, Tomatis M, et al. Mammographic screening programmes in Europe: organization, coverage and participation. J Med Screen. 2012;19 suppl 1:72–82.
17.
González-Robledo LM, González-Robledo MC, Nigenda G, López-Carrillo L. Government actions for the early detection of breast cancer in Latin America. Future challenges Salud Publica Mex. 2010;52:533–43.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Goss P, Lee BL, Badovinac-Crnjevic T, Strasser-Weippl K, Chavarri-Guerra Y, St Louis J, Villarreal-Garza C, et al. La planificación del control del cáncer en América Latina. Lancet Oncol. 2013;14:391–436.CrossRefPubMed
19.
20.
21.
22.
Innvaer S, Vist G, Trommald M, Oxman A. Health policy-makers’ perceptions of their use of evidence: a systematic review. J Health Serv Res Policy. 2002;7:239–44.CrossRefPubMed
23.
24.
Jemal A, Bray F, Center MM, Ferlay J, Ward E, Forman D. Global cancer statistics. Cancer J Clin. 2011;61(2):134.CrossRef
25.
26.
Knaul FM, Nigenda G, Lozano R, Arreola-Ornelas H, Langer A, Frenk J. Breast cancer in Mexico: a pressing priority. Repro health matters. 2008;16(32):113–23.CrossRef
27.
Kopans DB. Screening for breast cancer among women in their 40s. Lancet Oncol. 2010;11(12):1108–9.CrossRefPubMed
28.
29.
Lozano-Ascencio R, Gómez-Dantés H, Lewis S, Torres-Sánchez L, López-Carrillo L. Breast cancer trends in Latin America and the Caribbean. Salud Publica Mex. 2009;51 suppl 2:S147–56.CrossRefPubMed
30.
31.
Martínez-Montañez OG, Uribe-Zúñiga P, Hernández-Ávila M. Public policies for the detection of breast cancer in Mexico. Salud Publica Mex. 2009;51 suppl 2:S350–60.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Ministério da Saúde. Control do Câncer do Mama. Documento de Consenso. Rio de Janeiro: Instituto Nacional de Câncer (INCA); 2004.
33.
Ministerio da Saúde. Secretaria de Assistência a Saúde. Instituto Nacional de Câncer. Viva Mulher. Programa Nacional de Controle do Câncer do Colo do Útero e de mama. Câncer do Colo do Útero: Informações Técnico Gerenciais e Ações Desenvolvidas. Rio de Janeiro: INCA; 2002.
34.
Ministerio da Saúde. Secretaria de Atenção à Saúde. Instituto Nacional de Câncer. Coordenação de Prevenção e Vigilância. A situação do cáncer no Brasil/Ministério da Saúde, Secretaria de Atenção à Saúde, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Coordenação de Prevenção e Vigilância. Rio de Janeiro: INCA; 2006.
35.
Ministerio de Protección Social. Conjunto Nacional De Indicadores De Calidad De La Atención En Salud Colombia. Propuesta de informe PRIMER INCAS COLOMBIA. 2009. [consultado 18 diciembre 2010] Available in: http://​calisaludable.​cali.​gov.​co/​secretario/​2010_​incas/​indicadores.​pdf.​
36.
37.
Mohar A, Bargalló E, Ramírez MT, Lara F, Beltrán-Ortega A. Available resources for the treatment of breast cancer in Mexico. Salud Publica Mex. 2009;51 suppl 2:S263–9.PubMed
38.
Noy C. Sampling Knowledge: The Hermeneutics of Snowball Sampling in Qualitative Research. Int J Soc Res Methodol. 2008;11(4):327–44.CrossRef
39.
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Chapter 4 Public Policies and Health Systems and Services. In Health in the Americas. 2007. Pan American Health Organization, Washington, DC: PAHO, 2007-2v. p.302.
40.
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Integrated Health Service Delivery Networks: Concepts, Policy Options and a Road Map for Implementation in the Americas. Washington, D.C.: PAHO, 2011:13, 21.
41.
Porter PL. Global trends in breast cancer incidence and mortality. Salud Publica Mex. 2009;51 suppl 2:S141–6.CrossRefPubMed
42.
Porter P. Westernizing Women’s Risks? Breast Cancer in Lower-income Countries. N Engl J Med. 2008;358:213–21.CrossRefPubMed
43.
44.
Robles SC, Galanis E. Breast cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2002;11(13):178–85.PubMed
45.
Saadat S. Can We Prevent Breast Cancer? Int J Health Sci. 2008;2(2):167–70.
46.
Sanders D, Labonte R, Baum F, Chopra M. Making research matter: a civil society perspective on health research. Bull World Health Organ. 2004;82(10):757–63.PubMedPubMedCentral
47.
Saonere JA. Awareness screening programme reduces the risk of cervical cancer in women. Afr J Pharm Pharmacol. 2010;4(6):314–23.
48.
Schwartsmann G. Breast Cancer in South America: challenges to improve early detection and medical management of a public health problem. J Clin Oncol. 2001;19(18 Suppl):118S–24S.PubMed
49.
50.
Shack L, Jordan C, Thomson CS, Mak V, Møller H. Variation in incidence of breast, lung and cervical cancer and malignant melanoma of skin by socioeconomic group in England. BMC Cancer. 2008;8(1):1.CrossRef
51.
Shepherd J, Peersman G, Weston R, Napuli I. Cervical cancer and sexual lifestyle: a systematic review of health education interventions targeted at women. Health Educ Res. 2000;15(6):681–94.CrossRefPubMed
52.
53.
54.
Van Meter K. Methodological and Design Issues: Techniques for Assessing the Representativeness of Snowball Samples. In: The Collection and Interpretation of Data from Hidden Populations. Elizabeth Y. Lambert Editor. NIDA Research Monograph 98. Washington 1990: 31-43.
55.
Charry VD, Constanza L, Carrasquilla G, Roca-Garavito S. Equidad en el acceso al tratamiento para el cáncer de mama en Colombia. Salud Publica Mex. 2009;51:s246–53.CrossRef
56.
Viniegra M, Paolino M, Arrosi S. Cáncer de mama en Argentina: organización, cobertura y calidad de las acciones de prevención y control. Informe final julio 2010: diagnóstico de situación del Programa Nacional y Programas Provinciales. Buenos Aires: OPS; 2010.
57.
58.
Walt G, Shiffman J, Schneider H, Murray SF, Brugha R, Gilson L. ‘Doing’ health policy analysis: methodological and conceptual reflections and challenges. Health Policy Plan. 2008;23:308–17.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
59.
Wiesner C. Psychological, Social, and Clinical Determinants of Breast Cancer Early Detection in Bogotá, Colombia. Rev Colomb Cancerol. 2007;11(1):13–22.
60.
61.
62.
Metadata
Title
Breast cancer policy in Latin America: account of achievements and challenges in five countries
Authors
Gustavo Nigenda
Maria Cecilia Gonzalez-Robledo
Luz Maria Gonzalez-Robledo
Rosa Maria Bejarano-Arias
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Globalization and Health / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1744-8603
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-016-0177-5

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

Globalization and Health 1/2016 Go to the issue

Commentary

A critical analysis of the review on antimicrobial resistance report and the infectious disease financing facility

Editorial

Globalization and Health: developing the journal to advance the field

Commentary

Assistive products and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Research

Food systems transformations, ultra-processed food markets and the nutrition transition in Asia

Research

Implementing demand side targeting mechanisms for maternal and child health-experiences from national health insurance fund program in Rungwe District, Tanzania

Commentary

Measuring success in global health diplomacy: lessons from marketing food to children in India