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Collaboration as a strategy to improve childhood cancer care in low- and middle-income countries: The VIGICANCER model in Colombia

Colaboración como estrategia para mejorar la atención del cáncer infantil en países de ingresos bajos y medios: El modelo de VIGICANCER en Colombia



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Ramirez O, Piedrahita V, Bolívar S, Quijano-Lievano M, Lotero V, Castro M, et al. Collaboration as a strategy to improve childhood cancer care in low- and middle-income countries: The VIGICANCER model in Colombia. Rev. colomb. hematol. oncol. [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 10 [cited 2025 Dec. 6];12(1-Supl). https://doi.org/10.51643/22562915.781

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How to Cite
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Ramirez O, Piedrahita V, Bolívar S, Quijano-Lievano M, Lotero V, Castro M, et al. Collaboration as a strategy to improve childhood cancer care in low- and middle-income countries: The VIGICANCER model in Colombia. Rev. colomb. hematol. oncol. [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 10 [cited 2025 Dec. 6];12(1-Supl). https://doi.org/10.51643/22562915.781

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Oscar Ramirez,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Unidad de Trasplante de Médula Ósea, Clínica Imbanaco, Cali, Colombia.

Registro Poblacional de Cáncer de Cali, Departamento de Patología, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.


Vivian Piedrahita,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia

Escuela de Enfermería, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.


Santiago Bolívar,

Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.


Monica Quijano-Lievano,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Unidad de Trasplante de Médula Ósea, Clínica Imbanaco, Cali, Colombia.

Registro Poblacional de Cáncer de Cali, Departamento de Patología, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.

Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.


Viviana Lotero,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Unidad de Oncología y Hematología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia.


María Castro,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Unidad de Oncología y Hematología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia.


Margarita Quintero,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.


Diego Medina,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Unidad de Oncología y Hematología Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia.


Roberto Jaramillo,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital General de Hospitalet, Barcelona, España


Andrés Portilla,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Unidad de Trasplante de Médula Ósea, Clínica Imbanaco, Cali, Colombia.

Departamento de Pediatría, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.


Jesús Ardila,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Unidad de Oncología y Hematología Pediátrica, Fundación Clínica Infantil Club Noel, Cali, Colombia.


Karina Grillo,

Unidad de Investigación, Fundación POHEMA, Cali, Colombia.

Registro Poblacional de Cáncer de Cali, Departamento de Patología, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.

Escuela de Odontología, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.


Luis Bravo,

Registro Poblacional de Cáncer de Cali, Departamento de Patología, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.


Paula Aristizabal,

División de Hematología/Oncología Pediátrica, Departamento de Pediatría, Universidad de California San Diego/Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, San Diego, California, Estados Unidos.

Ciencias Poblacionales, Disparidades y Alcance Comunitario, Centro de Cáncer Moores, Universidad de California San Diego, La Jolla, California, Estados Unidos.

Centro de Ciencias de Implementación y Diseminación, Instituto de Investigación Clínica y Traslacional, Universidad de California San Diego, Instituto Altman para la Investigación Clínica y Traslacional, La Jolla, California, Estados Unidos.


Introduction: Collaboration enables understanding and addressing complex public health problems, such as disparities in childhood cancer survival in low- and middle-income countries. We describe the implementation of VIGICANCER, Colombia's childhood cancer clinical outcomes surveillance system, as an example of a collaborative effort aimed at improving clinical outcomes in children and adolescents with cancer in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: Several collaborative initiatives have been established in resource-constrained settings, demonstrating knowledge gains regarding mechanisms underlying inequities in low-and middle-income countries, and showcasing programs aimed at improving outcomes for children with cancer. These initiatives include “twinning” programs, national, regional, and international partnerships, and research consortia. Results: A notable example is VIGICANCER, implemented in partnership with the Cali Population-Based Cancer Registry, the POHEMA foundation, and the Colombian Association of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (ACHOP). VIGICANCER has emerged as a benchmark for collaboration and research in Latin America, offering valuable lessons for replication in other low- and middle-income countries. Conclusions: VIGICANCER sets a precedent for future collaborative efforts aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of epidemiology and drivers of cancer disparities across Colombia, with the goal of improving survival gaps equitably in children and adolescents with cancer in Colombia and other low- and middle-income countries.


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