RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION OF BURDEN OF LUNG CANCER IN DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS AND GENDERS AT KARACHI, PAKISTAN

04-HJPV1(1)-2019 Original Article

Abstract

Lung cancer is a third leading cancer in Pakistan with high mortality rate. To determine incidences in the population of Karachi, Pakistan, a retrospective study in different ethnic group was conducted from January 2011 to December 2015 to determine incidences of lung cancer in last five years registered in oncology wards of major hospitals of Karachi. Registered patients of lung cancer with confirmed diagnosis cytologically and/or histologically was included in the study. Secondary data from retrospective patient’s charts and files have been gathered. Most of the cases were from city of Karachi, Interior Sindh and Balochistan provinces. Minimum sample size of study was 147, however, evaluation was done on 169 patients. In addition to type of cancer, ethnicity, gender and age were also recorded. SPSS 20 software was employed for analysis including mean age, standard deviation, standard error and co-efficient of variation. Number of cases and incidences of lung cancer in different ethnic groups were found to be; Sindhi male 51 (38%), Sindhi female 12 (34%), Urdu speaking male 32(24%), Urdu speaking female 09 (26%), Balochi male 10 (07%), Balochi female 04 (11%), Pukhtoon male 09 (07%), Pukhtoon female 03 (09%), Punjabi male 25 (19%), Punjabi female 05 (14%), Siraikis male 03 (02%) minorities and other males 04 (03%), minorities and other females 02 (06%). Highest incidences are observed in Sindhi and Urdu speaking population of Sindh province, especially in male. Active, passive smoking, air-pollution and occupational exposure could be reason of high number of incidences in major ethnic groups of Karachi, therefore screening parameters are of paramount importance to reduce the burden of disease.