SURVIVAL OF PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT DISEASES IN BASRAH

By: Basrah Cancer Research Group

Omran S Habib¹, Jawad K Al-Ali², Asaad Q Al-Yassen³ & Osama G. Al-Asady⁴

ABSTRACT

Background: Survival of patients after the diagnosis of a malignant disease depends on the stage at which the diagnosis is made, the aggressiveness of the disease and the effectiveness of treatment. This paper presents summary indicators of survival of patients of malignant disease in Basrah.

Objectives: To measure the survival rates of cancers in Basrah through the use of various methods.

Methods: For the purpose of calculating survival rates, three sources of data were use. Death registries in Basrah, cancer registries in Basrah and a household survey data on incidence and mortality of cancer.

Results:  Five year survival rate according to routine statistics of   incidence and mortality ranged from 0.0% for cancers of lung, CNS, liver and pancreas to as high in cases of skin cancer 88.9% and thyroid cancer 92.3%.  The overall five year survival rate was 59.6%.

According to the household survey, of the cases which developed in the period 2003-mid-2008, 48.6% were dead by the time of the survey in 2008. When the average age for all new cases  in 2005 ( 48.4 years)  was  compared with average age of all cancer deaths  in 2005  (55.2 years)  were  compared,  the difference  was 6.8  years. This is equivalent to expected years of survival after diagnosis.

Conclusions: The low survival rates in most  of cancers  suggest that  medical care is still inadequate to prolong life of cancer patients.

Omran S Habib (PhD), Professor of epidemiology and health care, Department of Community Medicine

College of Medicine, University of Basrah, Member of Iraqi Cancer Council

Jawad K Al-Ali (MRCP), Consultant Physician and Oncologist, Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital, Basrah. Member of Iraqi Cancer Council

Asaad Q Al-Yassen (MSc), Lecturer, Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Basrah

Osama G. Al-Asady (FICMS), Internist and Medical Oncologist, Al-Sadr Teaching Hospital, Basrah