Cancer survival in South Karachi, Pakistan, 1995-1999

The Karachi cancer registry established in 1995 was the first population-based cancer registry in Pakistan. Cancer registration is done by active methods. The registry contributed data on survival for selected cancers of the head and neck registered during 1995-1999. FoLlow-up has been carried out predominantly by active methods with the median follow-up time ranging between 29-36 months for different cancers. The proportion of histologically verified diagnosis for various cancers ranged between 98-100%; there were no cases as death certificates only (DCOs); 86-93% of total registered cases were included for survival analysis. Five-year followup ranged between 67-76%. The 5-year age-standardized relative survival rates was the highest for cancer of the salivary gland (44%), followed by oral cavity (40%), tongue (39%) and tonsil (3%). Five-year relative survival by age group did not display any pattern or trend and was fluctuating. A majority of cases have been diagnosed with a regional spread of disease: tongue (51%), oral cavity (53%), salivary gland (46%) and tonsil (79%) and survival decreased with increasing extent of disease for these cancers.