Colombia is one of the countries with the highest incidence and mortality from cancer in children. On average, each year 2,081 new cases of cancer are detected in children from birth to 15 years, with an incidence of 22.2 per 100,000 infants.Most of the cases submitted are for leukemia and lymphoma. Unfortunately, for these children the recovery rate is only 50%. It is estimated that 30% of children with cancer leave the treatment and 20% experience relapse of the disease.
Indeed, as mortality rates reveal, cancer is the second leading cause of infant death in the Colombia (Source: Colombiana de Hemato - Oncología Pediatric Association, the National Cancer Institute and Colombian League Against Cancer, 2007; DANE 2000-2002; Globocan 2002).
