Cancer Statistics from the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust's Hospital-based Cancer Registry, Pakistan, 1994-2022: An...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• The Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust operates cancer hospitals and research centers in Pakistan.
• Established in 1990, the Trust opened its first center in Lahore in 1994 and a second in Peshawar in 2015.
• This study provides a comprehensive overview of cancer cases registered over 28 years.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an epidemiological overview of cancer cases registered at SKMCH&RC.
• To identify prevalent cancer types across different age groups and sexes.
• To inform cancer surveillance and public health strategies in Pakistan.

Main Methods:

• Utilized patient data from the hospital information system of SKMCH&RC.
• Stratified cancer diagnoses by sex and age categories (children ≤18 years, adults >18 years).
• Analyzed registration data spanning 28 years.

Main Results:

• Breast, lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and lip/oral cavity neoplasms were the most common malignancies overall.
• In adult females, breast, ovary/uterine adnexa, and lip/oral cavity cancers predominated.
• In adult males, lower GI, prostate, and lip/oral cavity cancers were most frequent. In children, Hodgkin lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma were predominant.

Conclusions:

• Hospital-based cancer registries are crucial for understanding disease burden.
• Data from such registries, when aggregated, can estimate population-level cancer statistics.
• This information is vital for improving national cancer surveillance, prevention, and control efforts.