Abstract

Background: This is a cancer registry- based study carried out in Basrah to analyze the pattern of gastrointestinal tract malignant diseases over a period of seven years (2005-2011 inclusive). The study is in line with the work of Basrah Cancer Research Group to quantify cancer in Basrah governorate.
Objectives: To describe the time trend, spatial distribution and histopathological types of gastrointestinal tract cancers in Basrah governorate over the years 2005-2011.
Methods: The data used in the study were based on all new malignant cases which were diagnosed, treated and registered in Basrah cancer registration units. A total of 1601 new cases could be identified. Of these 1123 cases were from the inhabitants of Basrah governorate. The rest were from other Iraqi governorates.
Results: Analysis of cases from Basrah indicated an overall annual incidence rate of gastrointestinal malignant diseases of 6.87 per 100000 population with very little variation with the passage of time from 2005 to 2011. Great variation in the district specific incidence rates was found with Basrah city centre and Shatt Al-Arab districts having the highest incidence rates (8.28 and 8.62 per 100000 population. Other districts have lower incidence rates: north of Basrah (5.59), West of Basrah (4.24) and south of Basrah (4.53). Histopathologically, four types represented 94.2% of total registered cases. Adenocarcinoma was the commonest cancer representing 71.8% followed by Squamous cell carcinoma (12.8%), Non-Hodgkins lymphoma (7.6%) and undifferentiated carcinoma (3.0%).
Conclusions: Gastrointestinal tract cancer represented one of the major cancer groups in Basrah and deserves more care regarding prevention, early detection and treatment and research.
Key words: Cancer, Basrah, Incidence, Time trend, place distribution