Pattern of cancer mortality in Basrah governorate from 2018–2022

Huda Hassan Al-Abboodi, Basrah health directorate, Al-Zahraa college of medicine, university of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq.Follow
Jafar Fawzi Al Badran, Basrah teaching hospital, Basrah, Iraq.Follow
Nada Hasan Abdulraheem, Basrah health directorate, Al-Zahraa college of medicine, university of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq.Follow

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally, with an estimated 9.6 million fatalities reported in 2018. Thus, understanding the impact of cancer rates and examining how cancer deaths are distributed by age and have changed over the years is crucial. Aim: This descriptive statistical study aimed to identify the most prevalent cancer types responsible for deaths in the Basra Governorate from 2018 to 2022, along with their distribution across various age groups and geographical areas. Methods: The study utilized a descriptive statistical approach based on death certificate data from Basra Governorate, encompassing all cancer-related deaths from 2018 through the end of 2022. The data were processed using Excel and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software, and the outcomes were presented in tables and charts. Results: The findings revealed an increase in cancer-related fatalities from 2018 to 2022, although the proportion of cancer deaths relative to total deaths experienced a slight decline. The incidence of cancer deaths rose with age, with lung cancer accounting for the highest percentage, followed by breast cancer, brain cancer, and hematological malignancies, which were most prevalent among children. Among the younger demographic, cancers of the breast, brain, and digestive system were the most common. For individuals aged 40 to 60, breast, lung, and digestive system cancers were predominant, while lung, bladder, and breast cancers were most frequently observed in those aged 60 and older. The central region of the governorate recorded the highest percentage of cancer deaths, followed by Al-Zubair and Abi Al-Khaseeb districts, with no significant difference in cancer death rates between genders. Conclusion: Over the past five years, the cancer-specific mortality rate experienced a slight reduction, with lung, breast, and brain cancers presenting the highest frequencies and cancer death rates increasing with advancing age.

Keywords

cancer mortality, epidemiology of cancer, ICD-10

Recommended Citation

Hassan Al-Abboodi, Huda; Al Badran, Jafar Fawzi; and Abdulraheem, Nada Hasan (2025) "Pattern of cancer mortality in Basrah governorate from 2018–2022," Iraqi National Journal of Medicine: Vol. 7 : Iss. 2 , Article 13.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.37319/