title: Spectrum of cancers among South Asians working in Brunei Darussalam.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Worldwide the incidence of cancers is increasing and this seen more in developing nations. This study looks at the spectrum of cancers among South Asian nationals working in Brunei Darussalam, a developing Southeast Asia nation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cancer registry from 1994 to 2012 maintained by the State Laboratory was retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over the period, there was a total of 123 cancer cases diagnosed among South Asians, giving an incidence of 1.5% (n = 123/8253). The mean age at diagnosis was 42.9 ± 17.1 with a gender ratio of (male 60; female 63). Among the South Asians, Indians accounted for the most (53.7%) cases, followed by Nepalese (39.8%), Pakistani (3.3%) and Sri Lankan (2.4%). The most common cancers were cancers of the female reproductive/gynecologic organs, gastrointestinal tract, and breast. Among the two major ethnic groups; cancers of the breast was the most common among Indians followed by gastrointestinal tract where among the Nepalese, these were gastrointestinal tract followed by gynecologic (esp. cervical cancers). Among the South Asian, the Nepalese were younger at diagnosis compared to the other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The spectrum of cancers among South Asian residing in Brunei is comparable to what have been reported from South Asia with the exception of lung cancers. The most common cancers were cancers of female reproductive/gynecologic organs, gastrointestinal tract and breast. South Asians were younger at diagnosis of cancers compared to non-South Asians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, RIPAS Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan BA 1710, Brunei Darussalam.
authors.forename: Vui Heng
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Bandar Seri Begawan BA 1710, Brunei Darussalam.
authors.forename: Pemasari Upali
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Telisinghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Bandar Seri Begawan BA 1710, Brunei Darussalam.
authors.forename: Chee Fui
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chong
keywords: Cancers; Indian subcontinent; South Asian; neoplasms; spectrum