Pharmacoepidemiology Of Cancer In Southern India

Abstract

Objective Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh, southern India, records over many cancer cases each year. We aimed to describe the frequency, distribution, and assess quality of management and subsequent outcomes from cancer in one large hospital in the district. Methods We reviewed data of all patients admitted with different types of cancer to a district government hospital for the years 2003 to 2006. For these years, details of the particular cancer patients admitted and management were abstracted from the medical files. Findings During these four years, 1753 patients were admitted in the hospital with different types of cancer. More detailed data from the years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 reveals that older people are more prone to any type of cancer. Incidence of cancer is more in females. Most common type of cancer in females is cervix cancer in this part of country [30%]. Women above 40 age are prone to breast and ovarian cancers [20%].The most common type of cancer in males is mouth cancer [25%]. Conclusion It is likely that these findings reflect the situation in many rural hospitals of the southern India region. Even without an increase in resources, there appear to be significant opportunities for reducing cancer incidence by better medical management and further development on the reduction of cancer.