RESUMO
To determine the relative frequency of gynaecological cancers and also to ascertain the age and parity distribution as well as the stage of disease at presentation. Observational study. Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics unit II Sir Ganga Ram Hospital/Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Lahore. January1994 to October2005 During the study period of 12 years, there were 13849 admissions in the gynaecology ward, of which 209 women [1.5%] were diagnosed to have gynaecological cancers. The record of these cancer patients was maintained on specially designed proforma and was analyzed for relative frequency, age, parity distribution and stage of disease at presentation. Ovarian cancer was the commonest malignancy [47.84%] followed by cancer of the cervix [32.05%] and of the endometrium [12.91%]. The mean ages for ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancer were 44.52, 51.10 and 57.45 years respectively. 30% of the women with ovarian cancer were between 31-40 years of age. However; about 10% of cases were under 20 years of age. Out of all study subjects, about 45% had a parity of six and above. However; in the group of women with ovarian cancer; 47% cases were Para 1 to 5. At time of initial presentation 66% of ovarian cancer and about 47% of cervical cancer cases were in advanced stage disease [III and IV] while for endometrial carcinoma majority presented at earlier stage. Four patients with ovarian malignancy had family history of ovarian and breast cancer. Ovarian cancer is the commonest malignancy occurring comparatively in younger age group and with advanced stage presentation. Cervical cancer being preventable, is tragically still a major health burden. Although this study has limited epidemiological importance however such data of a teaching hospital can be an incentive for other institutes to carry out similar work, which can help in establishing cancer registry in our country