Pattern and incidence of cancer at El Obeid Hospital, Western Sudan.
Abstract
Background: The growing population of elderly people, the changes in life style, the new dietary habits and the HIV pandemic resulted in more exposure to cancer promoting factors in developing countries, including Sudan. Sudan is a large county with different climatic regions and the population has wide diversity of ethnic groups with varying cultures. Nevertheless, the burden of cancer in the different regions of the country is unknown.
Objectives: To study the incidence rate and the pattern of cancer at El Obeid Teaching Hospital, Western Sudan.
Patients and Methods: The records of all patients admitted with cancer to the wards of El Obeid Teaching Hospital, Western Sudan during 2006 and 2007 were studied. The cancers were classified according to the organs affected and then ranked in their order of relative frequency. The mean age, age range, gender, the incidence rates and the relative frequency rates were calculated.
Results: There were 111 new cancer patients in 2006 and 169 patients in 2007. Females were 52.9% of cases. The mean ages were 61.8 and 56.8 years for males and females respectively. Cancer of the gastrointestinal tract is the most common malignancy in both sexes, followed by
breast and then cervical cancer in females; while it was followed by leukaemia in males. Hepatocellular, oesophageal, gastric and recto-sigmoid were the main gut cancers.
Conclusions: Cancer of the gastrointestinal tract was the commonest malignancy at El Obeid Hospital, Western Sudan. Establishment of a local radiation and isotopes centre is needed in this part of the country to provide oncology services and integrate preventive programs. A regional cancer registry centre supplements the national efforts to evaluate the magnitude of the problem in order to plan further future strategies.
References
2. Kamangar F, Dores GM, Anderson WF. Patterns of cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence across five continents: defining priorities to reduce cancer disparities in different geographic regions of the world. J Clin Oncol 2006; 24(14): 2137-50.
3. Lingwood RJ, Boyle P, Milburn A, et al. The challenge of cancer control in Africa. Nat Rev Cancer 2008; 8(5): 398-403.
4. Mellstedt H. Cancer initiatives in developing countries. Ann Oncol 2006; 17(8): viii24-viii31.
5. Omar S, Alieldin NH, Khatib OMN. Cancer magnitude, challenges and control in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 2007; 13(6):1486-96.
6. Hamad HM. Cancer initiatives in Sudan. Ann Oncol 2006; 17(8): viii32-viii36.
7. Stjernsward J, Stanley K, Eddy D, et al. National cancer control programs and setting priorities. Cancer Detect Prev 1986; 9(1-2): 113-24.
8. Ageep AK, Ali BM, Awadelkarim MA. Pattern and incidence of cancer in Red Sea State, Sudan. Sudan JMS 2007; 2(2): 115-17.
9. Khalil KA, Salama OE, El Zeiny NA, et al. A study of pattern of gastrointestinal malignant neoplasms in the last decade (1987-1996) in Alexandria. J Egypt Public Health Assoc1999; 74(5-6): 503-27.
10. Al-Thobhani AK, Raja’a YA, Noman TA. The pattern and distribution of malignant neoplasms among Yemen patients. Saudi Med J 2001; 22(10): 910-1311. Bawazir AA, Abdul-Hamid G, Morales E. Available data on cancer in the south-eastern governorates of Yemen. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal 1998; 4(1): 107-13.
12. Al-Radi AO, Ayyub M, Al-Mashat FM, et al. Primary gastrointestinal cancers in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. Is the pattern changing? Saudi Med J 2000. 21(8): 730-34.
13. Ersumo T, Johnson O, Ali A. Gastrointestinal tract cancer: a five year study in a teaching central referral hospital, Ethiopia. Ethiop Med J 2000; 38(2): 93-103.
14. Echimane AK, Ahnoux AA, Adoubi I, et al. Cancer incidence in Abdijan, Ivory Coast: first results from the cancer registry, 1995-1997. Cancer 2000; 89(3): 653-63.
15. Arbab BMO, Abdel Satir A. Hepatoma in Western Sudan. Sud Med J 1996; 34(1): 46-49.
16. AhmedM.E. The surgical management and outcome of oesophageal cancer in Khartoum. J R Coll Surg Edinb 1993; 38 (1): 16-18.
17. Alsir K, Masaad AM, Abdelhameid M. Audit of advanced gastric cancer at Ibn Sina Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan.Sudan JMS 2006; 1(1): 52-58.
18. Somdyala NI, Marasas WF, Vender FS, et al. Cancer patterns in four districts of the Transkei region, 1991-1995. S Afr Med J2003; 93(2): 144-48.
19. Wabinga HR. Pattern of cancer in Mbarara, Uganda. East Afr Med J 20002; 79(4): 193-97.
20. Banda LT, Parkin DM, Dzamalala CP, Liomba NG. Cancer incidence in Blantyre, Malawi 1994-1998. Trop Med Int Health2001; 6(4): 296-304.
21. Nze-Nguema F, Sankanarayanan R, Barthelemy M, et al. Cancer in Gabon, 1984-1993: a pathology registry based relative frequency study. Bull Cancer 1996; 83(9): 693-96.
22. Ngoma T. World Health Organization cancer priorities in developing countries. Ann Oncol2006; 17(8): viii9-viii14.
23. Valsecchi MG, Steliarova-Foucher E. Cancer registration in developing countries: luxury or necessity? Lancet Oncol 2008; 9(2): 159-67.
24. Thomas J. Cancer control in Africa: a call for action. Afr J Med Sci 2004; 33(1): 1-4
