A cancer registry is to record the data which let us to know the epidemiology of neoplasm, but led us take a decision in medical policy about this health problem that benefit patients. In this paper we did a brief historical review about models and attempts for having a cancer registry in Mexico. However, since 1940 "the fight against cancer" was declared, we have not had a confident cancer registry today validated and built with data from whole the country. In 1982, the Registro Nacional del Cancer was created. The design and validation of a registration card in four hospitals were the main results. In 1988, the Registro Nacional del Cancer was reinforced with a computerized system for facilitation the data capture. In 1994, it was signed the first interinstitutional agreement that led to Registro Histopatol6gico de Neoplasias Malignas. In 1996, the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social established a cancer registry in children in Mexico with the intention to have data from this population.