pattern of cancer in Iraq: Three-year [2005-2007] Updated report

Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide [1]. In 2007 cancer was the third leading cause of deaths in Iraq after cardiovascular diseases and accidents and the seventh leading cause of morbidity. The aim of this paper is to report the pattern of new cancer cases reported during 3 years period [2005-2007]. During a three-year period [2005-2007] 44611 Iraqi patients, with various types of newly diagnosed cancer were registered by the Iraqi Ministry of Health from all Iraqi provinces including the 3 Northern provinces [Sulaimanyia, Erbil, and Dohouk]. 21538 patients were males [48.3%] and 23073 patients were females [51.7%]. Breast was the most common site of cancer accounting for 18% of all cases of cancer. The histomorphological types seen among breast cancers were 5069 cases with histology of Infiltrating duct carcinoma accounting for 63% of all cases of breast cancer, which was found to be the most common type. This histopathology was followed in decreasing order by adenocarcinoma carcinoma in 257 cases accounting for 3% of all cases and infiltrating lobular carcinoma in 218 cases accounting 2.7% of all cases. Lungs and the bronchi were the second most common site of cancer accounting for 8.43%of all cases of cancer, and the first most common site in males. The three commonest histopathological types of lung cancer are squamous cell carcinoma accounting for 20% of the cases, adenocarcinoma accounting for 7% of the cases small cell carcinoma accounting for 4% of the cases. Leukemia was the third most common cancer in Iraq accounting for 7.54% of all cancers. 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. The histopathological cancer pattern of breast and cancers of the lung and bronchi which are the commonest cancer in Iraq differs from the previously reported patterns