Cancer in Iraq: distribution by primary tumor site

Little is known about the pattern of cancer in Iraq. The aim of this paper is to report the pattern of cancer in Iraq by primary tumor site in the largest series of Iraqi patients with cancer. During a five-year period [2000-2004] 63923 Iraqi patients, with various types of newly diagnosed cancer were registered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health from all Iraqi provinces with exception of 3 Northern provinces [Sulaimanyia, Erbil, and Dohouk]. 32281 patients were males [50.5%] and 31652 patients were females [49.5%].Breast was by far the most common site of cancer accounted for 16% of all Iraqi patients. Lungs and the bronchi were the second most common site of cancer and the first most common site in males. Cancer in the lung and bronchus accounted for 8% of all cancers. Leukemia was the third most common cancer in Iraq accounting for 7% of all cancers. The four most commonly diagnosed types of cancer among males were cancers of the lung and bronchus, bladder, leukemia and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma [NHL], accounting for about 37.7% of estimated cancer cases in males. The four most commonly diagnosed types of cancer among females were cancers of the breast, leukemia, uterus including cervix and corpus] and cancers of brain and CNS, accounting for about 47.5% of estimated cancer cases in females. Breast cancer alone is accounted for% [31%] of all new cancer cases among females. The pattern of cancer in Iraq by primary tumor site is rather different from the pattern in other countries like USA, Nigeria and European countries

Frequency of childhood cancers in Iraq

Little is known about the frequency of various childhood cancers in Iraq. The aim of this paper is to report the frequency of childhood cancers in Iraq in the largest series of Iraqi patients with cancer. In the largest series of 63923 Iraqi patients with various types of newly diagnosed cancer registered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health from all Iraqi provinces with exception of 3 Northern provinces [Sulaimanyia, Erbil, and Dohouk] during five-year period [2000-2004], 5049 cases of cancers occurred in children under 14 years of age accounting for approximately 8% of all cancer cases in Iraq. Leukemia is by far the commonest childhood cancer in Iraq accounting for 33% of childhood cancers. The top 10 childhood cancers were: leukemias, Hodgkin lymphomas [NHL], central nervous system neoplasms, Non-Hodgkin lymphomas [NHL], renal tumors, bone tumors and Eye [retinoblastomas], soft tissues tumors, adrenal gland tumors, and tumors of testis and ovary. The pattern of childhood cancer in Iraq is slightly different from the patterns in other countries. Higher frequency of leukemias than most other countries

Hemopoietic and lymphoreticuar malignancies in Iraq

Hemopoietic and lymphoreticuar malignancies comprise mainly leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. The annual incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas was reported to be increasing by 3 to 4% in different parts of the developed world during the 1990s, while rates for Hodgkin's disease, myelomas and leukemias were more stable. The aim of this study is to evaluate the pattern of hemopoeitic and lymphoreticuar malignancies diagnosed by bone marrow examination in the largest series of Iraqi patients with the commoner hemopoeitic and lymphoreticuar malignancies. In the largest series of 63923 Iraqi patients with various types of newly diagnosed cancer registered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health from all Iraqi provinces with the exception of 3 Northern provinces [Sulaimanyia, Erbil, and Dohouk] during five-year period [2000-2004]. There were 10330 cases of the commoner hemopoeitic and lymphoreticuar malignancies [leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma] accounting for 16% of the total number of Iraqi patients with cancers. Leukemia was the third most common cancer in Iraq accounting for 7% of all cancers. 4476 cases of leukemia were reported; 2618 [58.5%] in males and1858 [41.5%] in females.1502 cases of Hodgkin disease were registered accounting for all cancer cases. 925 [61.6%] in males and 577 [38.4%] in females. There were 3883 cases of NHL accounting for 6% of all cancers. There were 469 cases of multiple lymphomas accounting for 0.73% of all cancers. In contrast to many western countries, in Iraq the incidence rate of Leukemias is increasing while trends for the other hematolymphopoietic malignancies are strikingly stable

histopathologic pattern of breast cancer in Iraq

Breast Cancer is the most frequent cancer in women worldwide. It is important to understand the histological pattern because histology as a prognostic factor has been well documented. No data is available about the histopathological cancer pattern of breast cancer in Iraq. The aim of this paper is to report the histopathological cancer pattern of breast cancer in Iraq in the in the largest series of Iraqi patients with types of newly diagnosed cancers. In the largest series of 63923 Iraqi patients with various types of newly diagnosed cancer registered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health from all Iraqi provinces with the exception of 3 Northern provinces [Sulaimanyia, Erbil, and Dohouk] during five-year period [2000-2004], 10277 cases of breast cancer, 464 males [4.5%], and 9813 females [95.5%] occurred in accounting for approximately 16% of all cancer cases in Iraq. The histomorphological types seen among breast cancers indicated that there were 7876 cases [76.6%] with histology of Infiltrating duct carcinoma [IDC] not otherwise specified [NOS], which was found to be the most common type. This was followed in decreasing order by infiltrating lobular carcinoma in 562 cases [5.46%]; adenocarcinoma carcinoma in 558 cases [5.43%] The histopathological cancer pattern of breast cancer in Iraq differs from the previously reported pattern in Asian and African countries such as India and Nigeria

histopathological pattern of lung cancer in Iraq

Geographical differences have been observed in the incidence of various histological patterns of lung cancer. Shifts in histological tumor type distribution, chiefly an increase in adenocarcinoma, have been reported to accompany changes in lung cancer incidence in the last two decades in the United States and several other developed countries. No information is available about the frequency of various histological types of lung cancer in Iraqi patients. The aim of this study is to describe the histopathologic pattern of lung cancer in the largest series of Iraqi patients with lung cancer. In the largest series of 63923 Iraqi patients with various types of newly diagnosed cancer registered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health from all Iraqi provinces with the exception of 3 Northern provinces [Sulaimanyia, Erbil, and Dohouk] during five-year period [2000-2004], 5157 cases of lung cancers [4105 males, 1052 females] occurred in accounting for approximately 8% of all cancer cases in Iraq. Lungs and the bronchi were the second most common site of cancer and the first most common site in males. The four commonest histopathological types of lung cancer are Squamous cell carcinoma accounting for 37.6% of the cases, adenocarcinoma accounting for 13% of the cases small cell carcinoma accounting for 8.3% of the cases, and large cell carcinoma accounting for 7% of the cases. The shifts in histological tumor type distribution, chiefly an increase in adenocarcinoma, have been reported to accompany changes in lung cancer incidence in the last two decades in the United States and several other developed countries were not observed in this large sample of Iraqi patients with lung cancer registered during five year period

histopathological pattern of skin cancers in Iraq

Skin cancers comprise a variety of malignancies, with varying incidence of the histopathological types worldwide. Little is known about skin cancers in Iraq. Population-based figures on skin cancers are essential for a realistic assessment of the disease burden, prevention modes and the need for caring. The aim of this paper is to present the first and the largest study of the histopathological types of skin cancers in Iraq. In the largest series of 63923 Iraqi patients with various types of newly diagnosed cancers registered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health from all Iraqi provinces with the exception of 3 Northern provinces [Sulaimanyia, Erbil, and Dohouk] during five-year period [2000-2004] 2585 cases of skin cancers occurred in all age groups accounting for approximately 4% of all cancer cases in Iraq. The top skin cancers in Iraq were Basal cell carcinoma [BCC], Squamous cell carcinoma [SCC], melanoma, Dermatofibrosarcoma, Basosquamous carcinoma, Kaposi sarcoma. BCC is the commonest skin cancer in Iraq. There were 1111 cases of BCC accounting for 43% of all skin cancers. SCC is second most common skin cancer in Iraq. There were 904 cases of SCC accounting for 35% of all skin cancers. Melanoma is third most common skin cancer in Iraq. There were 160 cases of melanoma accounting for only 6% of all skin cancers. The top skin cancers in Iraq were BCC, SCC, melanoma, Dermatofibrosarcoma, Basosquamous carcinoma, Kaposi sarcoma