Are Gastrointestinal Tract Malignancies, Diseases of Old Age? In South Western Region of Pakistan Too

Hina Manzoor; Fayyaz Ahmad; Zafar Iqbal Rishi; Hafiz Khushnaseeb Ahmad; Jamila Shuja; Shehla Iftikhar; Mohammad Sadiq; Hamida Naseeb

doi:10.29054/apmc/2015.340

Hina Manzoor Senior Scientist, CENAR, Hospital Quetta
Fayyaz Ahmad Director medical sciences, PAEC, HQ, Islamabad
Zafar Iqbal Rishi Professor of Pathology (Haematology) Bolan Medical College, Quetta
Hafiz Khushnaseeb Ahmad Director, CENAR, Quetta
Jamila Shuja Senior Medical officer, CENAR, Hospital Quetta
Shehla Iftikhar Senior Medical officer, CENAR, Hospital Quetta
Mohammad Sadiq Senior Medical officer, CENAR, Hospital Quetta
Hamida Naseeb Senior Medical officer, CENAR, Hospital Quetta

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29054/apmc/2015.340

Keywords: GIT malignancies, Old age, CENAR, Quetta

Abstract

Purpose/Background: The majority of cancers affect older persons because aging is a high risk factor for this disease. Gastrointestinal tract malignancies are also considered disease that affects older patients, with a peak incidence in the sixth and seventh decades. Close to 60% of all newly diagnosed malignant tumors and 71% of all cancer deaths occur in persons in this age group according to the NCI surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER) program data. Aging population is more vulnerable to develop cancer caused by a lifetime exposure to carcinogen such as pollution, radiation, tobacco and harmful sunrays etc. Objective: The objective of this research was to study the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) malignancies in different age groups in our set up. Design: Retrospective study. Duration: From January 2001 to December 2010. Method: This 10 yearreview of patients with GIT cancers in different age groups was carried out at the Centre for Nuclear medicine and Radiotherapy (CENAR), Quetta south western region of Pakistan. Information extracted from the files of patients in record. Results: Out of 2269 patients, the most common age group was above 60 year with a total of 752(33%) patients. Among1178 patients of carcinoma (Ca) esophagus, 30% belong to above 60year age group, Whereas above 60 year age group is commonest age group for CaColorectum, Stomach, Liver, Gall bladder, Pancreas, Small intestine and Anal canal accounting for 35%, 37%, 40%, 37%, 36%, 40% and 33% respectively. Conclusion: Malignancy is associated with old age. Various GIT malignancies studied in our study showed that above 60 year age group being commonest.