Resources and management for cervical cancer care are insufficient in public hospitals in Mexico

Background: Information on the resources available for treating cervical cancer (CC) in the Mexican health-care system is unavailable. Objective: To describe the resources available to treat CC in Mexican public institutions. Methods: A survey was applied to members from Mexican Societies of Oncology and Radio-oncology. Results: Five hundred and six surveys were analyzed, identifying the following: to diagnose, 96.2% of institutions had computed tomography.The time between diagnosis of CC and treatment was frequently 5-8 weeks. Sixty percentages of institutions had access to radiotherapy. Most institutions had pathology and psychology services, and few had nutrition and algology. Most specialists chose open surgery to treat early-stage CC. Treatment for locally advanced stages was concomitant chemoradiation. Very few specialists had access to vinorelbine, topotecan, and bevacizumab. Up to 20% of patients abandon their treatment. Conclusion: The resources and infrastructure for the care and treatment of CC patients are limited in the Mexican health-care system.