ABSTRACT
Primary gastrointestinal malignancies are more common than other malignancies among Yemeni patients. This study was conducted retrospectively with the aim of studying the pattern of primary gastrointestinal malignancies among Yemeni patients attending the Oncology Department of Al-Gamhouria Teaching Hospital, Aden, for the period from Jan. 2001 to Dec. 2004. During the four-year study period, a total of 289 patients with primary gastrointestinal cancers were reported, 173 [59.9%] were males and 116 [40.1%] were females [p=0.0002]. The ratio of male to female was 1.49:1. The age ranged from 4 to 90 years, with a mean of 55.6 +/- 13.4 years. Statistically, there is a significant difference between the means of ages of different sites of primary gastrointestinal cancers [p=0.0000]. The common types of primary gastrointestinal cancers in this study include coloreetal [30.4%] and gastric cancers [29.1%], followed by hepatic [14.9%], pancreatic [12.8%], and esophageal cancers [10.0%]. Lower percentages were noted in small intestinal cancer [2.1%] and gall bladder cancer [0.7%]. Higher percentage of primary gastrointestinal cancer was seen in the age 40 years [259 patients, 89.6%]. Females were affected more than males [60.0% and 40.0% respectively] in the younger age of >/= 40 gears, whereas in the age of 40 years and more, males were affected more than females [62.2% and 37.8% respectively]