Epidemiology of Multiple Primary Malignancies in Pakistan: A Population-Based Study

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Published: 2026-03-30
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61919/5akg4326
Keywords:
Cancer registry, Breast cancer, Lung cancer, Lymphoma, Colorectal cancer, Hospital-based registry, Pakistan, Cancer surveillance.

Main Article Content

Saba Iqbal
School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Fatima Khalid
School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
Breera Babar
Department of Life Sciences, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
Komal Shahzadi
Department of Biological Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore, Pakistan
Aqsa Aziz Qureshi
Department of Life Sciences, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
Zeeshan Abdullah
Anaesthesia Department, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Sana Abdullah
Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Hamza Noman
Department of Biological Sciences, The Superior University, Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Cancer surveillance in Pakistan remains limited by incomplete population-level registration and uneven regional reporting, making hospital-based registry analyses useful for describing diagnosed case patterns within major oncology centers. Objective: This study aimed to describe the distribution of breast cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, and colorectal cancer by sex, age group, and region among cancer patients registered at the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, Lahore, during 2022–2023. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using hospital-based registry records retrieved from the Health Management Information System and related clinical documentation. Confirmed registered cases of breast cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, and colorectal cancer were included. Variables included cancer type, sex, age group, and region of residence. Data were summarized using frequencies and percentages, with interpretation restricted to descriptive hospital-registry patterns. Results: Among 4,460 registered cases, breast cancer was the most frequent malignancy with 3,456 cases (77.49%), followed by lung cancer with 419 cases (9.39%), lymphoma with 392 cases (8.79%), and colorectal cancer with 193 cases (4.33%). Based on cancer-specific sex counts, females accounted for 3,780 cases (84.75%) and males for 680 cases (15.25%). Breast cancer was predominantly recorded among females, whereas lung cancer, lymphoma, and colorectal cancer were more frequent among males. Punjab contributed 4,410 registered cases (98.88%). Conclusion: Breast cancer represented the dominant registered malignancy in this hospital-based dataset, while lung cancer showed a marked male predominance and Punjab accounted for most recorded cases. Findings should be interpreted as hospital-registry patterns rather than national incidence estimates

Article Details

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Vol. 4 No. 6 (2026)

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Articles
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

1.
Saba Iqbal, Fatima Khalid, Breera Babar, Komal Shahzadi, Aqsa Aziz Qureshi, Zeeshan Abdullah, et al. Epidemiology of Multiple Primary Malignancies in Pakistan: A Population-Based Study. JHWCR [Internet]. 2026 Mar. 30 [cited 2026 Jul. 31];4(6):1-9. Available from: https://jhwcr.com/index.php/jhwcr/article/view/1888

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