Childhood Leukemia Survival in the US-Mexico Border: Building Sustainable Leukemia Care Using Health Systems Strengthening Models

PURPOSE: Pediatric leukemia outcomes are poor in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and exacerbated by health care systems ill equipped to manage cancer. Effective leukemia management in LMICs involves curating epidemiologic data; providing health care workforce specialty training; developing evidence-based treatments and supportive care programs; safeguarding access to medications and equipment; providing patient and family psychosocial, financial, and nutritional support; partnering with nongovernmental organizations, and ensuring treatment adherence. METHODS: In 2013, through a partnership between North-American and Mexican institutions, we used the WHO Framework for Action, a health systems strengthening model to implement a leukemia care sustainable program aimed at improving acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) outcomes at a public hospital in Mexico. We prospectively assessed clinical features, risk classification, and survival outcomes in children with ALL at Hospital General-Tijuana from 2008 to 2012 (preimplementation) and from 2013 to 2017 (postimplementation). We also evaluated program sustainability indicators. RESULTS: Our approach led to a fully-staffed leukemia service, sustainable training programs, evidence-based and data-driven projects to improve clinical outcomes, and funding for medications, supplies, and personnel through local partnerships. Preimplementation and postimplementation 5-year overall survival for the entire cohort of children with ALL, children with standard-risk ALL, and children with high-risk ALL improved from 59% to 65% (P = .023), 73% to 100% (P < .001), and 48% to 55% (P = .031), respectively. All sustainability indicators improved between 2013 and 2017. CONCLUSION: Using the health systems strengthening WHO Framework for Action model, we improved leukemia care and survival in a public hospital in Mexico across the US-Mexico border. We provide a model for the development of similar programs in LMICs to sustainably improve leukemia and other cancer outcomes.