Cancer incidence and mortality in children in the Mexican Social Security Institute (1996-2013)

Acute leukemia (AL) is the most common malignancy in children in Mexico and Latin America, where high incidence and mortality rates are observed, particularly among populations with indigenous ancestry and unfavorable socioeconomic conditions. This article examines the social and biological determinants that influence the onset and progression of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), highlighting the Greaves and Kinlen hypotheses and their potential relevance in Latin American contexts. Evidence suggests that factors such as poverty, educational disadvantage, overcrowding, and limited access to healthcare directly affect childhood mortality from AL. In the analysis conducted specifically for this study, using publicly available open-access databases, a poverty-mortality gradient was identified, showing that the poorest municipalities face a higher risk of leukemia-related death in individuals under 20 years of age. The study concludes that epidemiology, when integrated with principles of social justice, is essential for designing and monitoring public policy interventions aimed at reducing inequalities and improving childhood survival in Mexico.