Mexico City, September 9, 2026 – To raise awareness about the reality faced by people suffering from kidney cancer, a silent and underdiagnosed disease in Mexico that requires visibility, the Mexico City Congress organized a meeting between legislators, health sector authorities, specialists, and civil organizations.
Forum Addresses Kidney Cancer: Visibility, Comprehensive Care, and Public Action Priorities
The forum, titled “Kidney Cancer: Visibility, Comprehensive Care, and Public Action Priorities,” saw the participation of Deputy Miriam Valeria Cruz Flores, President of the Health Commission; Alejandra Alegría Arrieta from the Ministry of Health; David Flores Porras from IMSS Bienestar; and Gonzalo López from the Foundation for the Strengthening of Health in Mexico.
Held in the “Heberto Castillo” Hall of the Donceles Legislative Precinct, Deputy Cruz Flores explained that the forum’s objective was to sensitize the public about the complexity of kidney cancer and the lives of those affected, as well as to foster alliances among medical care institutions. She emphasized that current public policies in Mexico and the capital prioritize people’s health, with a focus on primary care, and that the local Congress promotes laws in this area for the benefit of the population, giving priority to those with fewer resources.
“It is a silent cancer that is often diagnosed late or not diagnosed at all because many people do not find out in time that they have it,” acknowledged the representative, who called for providing information about this disease.
Urgent Need for Early Diagnosis and Comprehensive Care
Alejandra Alegría Arrieta announced that the Cardiorenal Metabolic Strategy was presented in August, a protocol to be implemented with health personnel nationwide. The representative from the Ministry of Health noted that the aim is to comprehensively address this syndrome and establish renal health as a priority from the first point of contact consultations.
On behalf of IMSS Bienestar, David Flores stated that the care for kidney cancer and other diseases must be comprehensive, not limited to the moment a person receives treatment but even before diagnosis. He also pointed out the need to provide support to patients and their families with dignified treatment.
Gonzalo López from the aforementioned Foundation mentioned that for every 17 people diagnosed with kidney cancer in Mexico, eight will die, a figure that contrasts with the United States, where only two out of ten diagnoses result in death.
Throughout the forum, specialists noted that renal cancer is more prevalent in men than in women. In 2022, 6,427 cases and 3,379 deaths were reported in Mexico, meaning one person dies for every two diagnoses. Given this situation, they urged for timely diagnoses, as this disease can take up to 5.8 years to present symptoms.
They also expressed the need to implement an effective and low-cost screening program for this type of cancer, similar to prostate cancer, which requires a urine test.
Call for Effective Public Policies and National Registry
In this context, they underscored the urgency of implementing an effective public policy, establishing care goals, generating a national oncology registry, preventing from primary care, and providing comprehensive care to contain the disease in each patient and prevent its progression.
The presentations at the forum included: “Priorities for Public Action: Strengthening Diagnosis and Comprehensive Care for Kidney Cancer”; “Timely Diagnosis of Kidney Cancer: Challenges and Strategies for Early Detection”; “Access to Treatment: Availability, Supply, and Financial Sustainability of Therapies for Renal Cancer”; “Multidisciplinary Care: An Integral Model for the Management of Kidney Cancer”; “The Voice of Patient Organizations: Barriers to Access and Proposed Solutions”; and “Approach to the Treatment of Non-Clear Cell Renal Cancer.”
