Cancer and diabetes investigations have great relevance to be diseases that endanger life.

The treatment and control of Diabetes Mellitus and Cancer represents a challenge for health institutions in Mexico, which integrate the National Health System (SNS), since it is considered an epidemic.

Both diseases occupy the first places of morbidity and mortality worldwide and according to data from the National Center for Preventive Programs and Disease Control (CenaPrece).

They also warn about the load of diabetes mellitus that will increase significantly in the next two decades.

In that sense, researchers have not stopped working to discover new alternatives and interventions for diabetes mellitus and cancer, thus, the Funam-IMSS-UNAM award was awarded to research on the pair of diseases.

Cancer research, diabetes, obesity, arterial hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases were awarded this 2017 health prevention research award.

The Prize is awarded by Fundación Unam (FUNAM), the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Enrique Graue, rector of the UNAM, said that these diseases use more than 70% of the health sector spending.

Graue also says that these diseases could be prevented and named diabetes mellitus as: "The fifth rider of the Apocalypse."

The awards ceremony was held at the UNAM engineering tower.

Dionisio Meade, President of the Funam Board of Directors, was also present.

TUFFIC Miguel Ortega, director of the IMSS also attended.

Graue also explained that these diseases do not occur only in Mexico, but that there are factors that aggravate them in the Mexican population, for example maternal mortality, adolescent pregnancy and mental illnesses.