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Introduction

Hospital based cancer registry maintains data on all newly diagnosed and treated cancer patients in a particular hospital. This helps in the estimate of magnitude of cancer and the pattern of cancer. Cancer registry programs were started way back from 1980s in India by ICMR. Since then, cancer registry has been maintained all over India. Even though we get to see data from South Tamil Nadu, we did not have cancer registry from Kanyakumari Government medical college. So, this study is aimed to assess the burden of cancer since the inception of Kanyakumari Government Medical College and to analyse the pattern of the reported malignant cases. Thereby we initiate and maintain a track of the reported cancer cases in our facility. This will contribute to active follow-up of cancer patients. Hospital based cancer registry can potentially help, support a better understanding of health care system, process of cancer care, the clinical endpoints and patient outcome of care [1].

India has one of the highest cancer incidence and mortality rates in the world. A good surveillance system in the form of cancer registries is important for planning and evaluating cancer-control activities [2]. Cancer registration in India should be complemented with a nationwide effort to foster systematic investigations of cancer patterns and trends by states, regions and sub populations and allow a continuous cycle of measurement, communication and action [2].

This study was aimed to assess the burden of cancer from 2006 to 2022 in Kanyakumari Government Medical College and analysed the pattern of the reported malignant cases.

Materials and methods

This is a retrospective observational study. Institutional research and ethical clearance obtained. Records from the year 2006 to 2022 were retrieved from the pathology department of Kanyakumari Government Medical College. All the malignant cases reported were included except the blood malignancies. The collected data were entered in access database. The data were organised according to ICD-10 classification and are further categorised based on the gender and site of origin of the tumour.

The results were entered in cross tab and quantitative analysis was made to find out the percentage, the mean values and are exhibited in tables and graphs.

Results

35022 biopsy specimens were received in the Department of Pathology, Kanyakumari Government Medical College from 2006 to 2022. In this 3266 cases were diagnosed as cancer by light microscopic method, with male and female percentage of 4.3% and 5% respectively (Table 1).

Table 1: Number (n) and relative proportion (%) of cancer cases reported in the Department of Pathology, Kanyakumari Govt. Medical College from 2006 to 2022.  

Table 2 shows that head and neck cancers are the frequently reported cancers and the least presented cancers are carcinoma of adrenal gland and carcinoma of eye. Breast cancers predominates to female patients.

Table 2: Number (n) and relative proportion (%) of cancers on various sites reported from 2006 to 2022.  

Table 3 is based on the ICD-10 classification, C02, C06 categories in oral cavity are the most common site for cancer. This area points to the gingival-buccal mucosa of the oral cavity. Breast and thyroid malignancies are female predominant whereas all other malignancies are more prevalent among the male population. Colorectal cancers and oral cavity malignancies are near equal in both sexes although it is little more among the men.

Table 3: Number (n) and relative proportion (%) of cancers on various sites based on ICD 10 classification, reported from 2006 to 2022.