[Breast cancer mortality. Trend and geographical distribution, 1981-2001].
OBJECTIVE
to describe trend and geographical distribution of breast cancer mortality, in Mexico.


METHODS
it was done an ecological and tendency study from 1981 to 2001, 52,739 deaths by breast cancer in women > or = 20-year-old. Mortality was studied according to the International Classification of Diseases. The data were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics and from the General Census of Population. The period studied was three-yearly. Adjusted rates were calculated with the direct method. It was utilized a lineal regression model for the analysis of mortality tendencies. Map was built from the distribution of the mortality along the country.


RESULTS
the mortality tendency was increased in the first decade and in the second it was maintained stable, with an important drop in four states (p<0.05). The 66% of the states had rates over the national adjusted rate, all of them in the north of the country. Nayarit, Guerrero, and Mexico State had an increment of 300%.


CONCLUSIONS
the ascending tendency and stabilization of the mortality is similar to other countries. The north states had the greater rate of mortality, intermediate rates in the middle of country and drops in the south. It is possible that these changes were secondary to environmental, social and medical care factors.
Aguayo-Alckaraz
Guadalupe
G
Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Ginecoobstetricia, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. aalupita@yahoo.com.mx
Jiménez-Pérez
Luz Margarita
LM
Celis-de la Rosa
Alfredo
A
Canales-Muñoz
José Luis
JL
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult