The pattern of malignant tumours: tumour registry data analysis, AFIP, Rawalpindi, Pakistan (1992-2001).

Objective: To provide information regarding frequency of malignant tumours through data retrieved from pathology based tumour registry of AFIP, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

Methods: All malignant tumours recorded with the AFIP tumour registry over a period of 10 years (1992-2001) were analysed in terms of age group, gender and type of tumour with relation to site. A comparison with the previously published material from same setting, national and international studies were also done.

Results: The total malignant tumours in the 10 years period were 21,168. Out of these, 12584 (59.5%) were seen in male patients while 8584 (40.5%) were in females. Total malignant tumours in pediatric age group were 927 (4.4%). The common malignant tumours in males in order of decreasing frequency were, those of prostate, skin, lymph node, leukaemia, urinary bladder, colorectum, bone, lung, stomach and liver. In females, breast carcinoma was on top followed by skin, leukaemia, ovary, coloretum, lymph node, bone, liver, cervix and gall bladder. In females, contrary to the Western studies and India, ovarian tumours were more frequent than cervical cancers. Comparison of this analysis with our previous analysis, national and international studies showed some interesting features.

Conclusion: It was found that in males, tumours of the prostate were the most frequent as compared to the previous study, which showed lymphomas and leukemias to be the most common. On the other hand in females, tumours of the breast remained to be consistently most frequent.