INTRODUCTION: The technology advancement has changed access to health services, with a focus on risk and safety to comply the needs of patients and their environment. PURPOSE: To present the development of component technology surveillance as a part of the management system of biomedical technology at the National Cancer Institute in Colombia. METHODOLOGY: The methodology of technological surveillance was based on the stages of a technological surveillance system based on observation, analysis, dissemination and use of information. RESULTS: In its early years, the surveillance unit of the National Cancer Institute only focused on comprehensive surveillance reports or profiles of specific technology. The results were presented to the management committee of technology with the purpose of decision-making. Afterwards, other products such as alerts, RSS, newsletters, among others, where evolved. CONCLUSIONS: In the National Cancer Institute, surveillance technology is one of the axes of Management System Technology which aims to analyze the trends in biomedical technology to maintain the comprehensive cancer control. The surveillance technology may be a proper tool for decision-making processes focused on cost-effectiveness, patient safety and risk reduction.