Cancer incidence in Karachi, Pakistan: First results from Karachi Cancer Registry

No cancer incidence data from Pakistan have been published in the 5 decades since independence. Incidence data for the period 1995-1997 from the popul ation of the Karachi South district (1.7 million) are presented here, A tot al of 4,268 new cancer cases were registered during this period: 2,160 case s in males and 2,108 cases in females. Overall, 95.3% of the incident cases were microscopically verified. The incidence rates for all cancers combine d were 80.5 per 100,000 (crude) and 136.7 per 100,000 (age- standardised ra tes [ASR]) for males and 91.8 (crude) and 163.2 per 100,000 (ASR) for femal es. In males, lung cancer (ASR 20.3) was the most frequently recorded malig nancy followed by oral cavity (ASR 13.8) and larynx cancer (ASR 8.6). In fe males, breast was the most common site of cancer, accounting for one third of female cancers (ASR 51.7), followed by oval cavity (ASR 14.1) and ovaria n cancer (ASR 10.2). Karachi reports the highest incidence of breast cancer for any Asian population, except Jews in Israel, Tobacco smoking is estima ted to be responsible for 40% of cancers in males and tobacco chewing for a further substantial proportion of head and neck cancers, (C) 2000 Wiley-Li ss, Inc.