P K Sharma1, R Bansal. 1. Department of Pharmacology, Dr R.P. Government Medical College, Kangra at Tanda (Himachal Pradesh), India. drdotsharma@gmail.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among both genders. The histopathological patterns of lung cancer in different parts of India appear to be variable. OBJECTIVE: To study the profile of lung cancer in northern Himachal Pradesh. METHODS: Patients of all age groups and either gender with history and complaints suggestive of lung cancer were subjected to further investigations to study the histopathological types of lung cancer over a period of 14 months. RESULTS: Out of 105 histopathologically confirmed patients with lung cancer (mean age 62.7 +/- 11.6 years; 96 males), 89.5% were "ever smokers" and 82.9% were "current smokers"; 92% of current smokers were bidi smokers. Most common presenting complaints were chest pain (46.7%) and cough (35.2%). Mean duration of longest presenting complaint was 64 days. The histopathological types included squamous cell carcinoma (37.1%), adenocarcinoma (36.2%), small cell carcinoma (8.6%), un-classifiable (16.2%), and other types (1.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the lung cancer patients in northern Himachal Pradesh were bidi smoking males from rural areas and the incidence of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma is almost equal.
BACKGROUND:Lung cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among both genders. The histopathological patterns of lung cancer in different parts of India appear to be variable. OBJECTIVE: To study the profile of lung cancer in northern Himachal Pradesh. METHODS:Patients of all age groups and either gender with history and complaints suggestive of lung cancer were subjected to further investigations to study the histopathological types of lung cancer over a period of 14 months. RESULTS: Out of 105 histopathologically confirmed patients with lung cancer (mean age 62.7 +/- 11.6 years; 96 males), 89.5% were "ever smokers" and 82.9% were "current smokers"; 92% of current smokers were bidi smokers. Most common presenting complaints were chest pain (46.7%) and cough (35.2%). Mean duration of longest presenting complaint was 64 days. The histopathological types included squamous cell carcinoma (37.1%), adenocarcinoma (36.2%), small cell carcinoma (8.6%), un-classifiable (16.2%), and other types (1.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the lung cancerpatients in northern Himachal Pradesh were bidi smoking males from rural areas and the incidence of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma is almost equal.