Estimating the burden of head and neck cancers in the public health sector of Pakistan.
This study was designed to establish the burden of head and neck cancers (HNCA) in public sector based cancer centres of Pakistan. Data were obtained from the central body governing all the cancer centres in the country. The frequency of treated HNCAs out of the total body cancers treated across Pakistan was found to be 14.5%. Highest prevalence rates amongst all cancers were noted in Sind, notably in Karachi and Jamshoro, followed by Multan in Punjab and a much lower frequency in Peshawar in the North West Frontier Province. This variation presumably reflects levels of betel quid consumption but more data are needed to be gathered in a comprehensive way if the findings are to be applicable for improvement of the national cancer control program.
Chaudhry
Saima
S
Dept of Oral Health Sciences, Shaikh Zayed Federal Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Islamabad, Pakistan. saima_aamer@msn.com
Khan
Ayyaz Ali
AA
Mirza
Kamran Masood
KM
Iqbal
Hafiz Aamer
HA
Masood
Yasmeen
Y
Khan
Nauman Rauf
NR
Izhar
Faisal
F
D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D017150:Public Sector; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution