KARACHI: A new study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia has issued a strong call for the establishment of a unified national cancer registry in Pakistan to address the country’s growing cancer burden and improve public health planning.
Titled "Cancer Registries in Pakistan: A Scoping Review," the study is a collaborative effort by researchers from Aga Khan University (AKU), the University of Wisconsin, and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. It reveals that Pakistan recorded an estimated 185,748 new cancer cases and over 118,631 cancer-related deaths in 2022 alone — a staggering burden that remains poorly documented due to fragmented and inconsistent data collection systems.
“Cancer registries are crucial,” said Dr. Zehra Fadoo, Chair of AKU’s Department of Oncology. “They provide population-based data on cancer trends and treatment efficacy, enabling health authorities to monitor disease patterns, guide policymaking, and allocate resources effectively.”
The study identifies 17 operational cancer registries across the country, yet only 19 of Pakistan’s 129 cities contribute data to any registry. The registries vary widely in scope and geographical coverage, and many face challenges such as limited funding, inadequate training, and inconsistent methodologies.
“This paper is a first step towards building a national registry,” explained Sehar Salim Virani, researcher at AKU and the University of Wisconsin. “It will require coordinated action, government leadership, and institutional collaboration. It’s time to turn fragmented efforts into a unified national response.”
Among the registries profiled is the Aga Khan University Cancer Registry (AKU-CR), established in 2009. Using international coding protocols and USA-based CNExT software, it has documented over 71,900 cancer cases to date. Overseen by the AKUH Cancer Committee and trained registrars, AKU-CR stands out for its emphasis on high data quality and clinical relevance.
Although the Pakistan Health Research Council (PHRC) was nominated as the national focal point for cancer registry efforts under the National Action Plan for Non-Communicable Diseases (NAP-NCD), and a National Steering Committee was formed in 2020, progress toward a centralized cancer database remains slow.
“Pakistan has long struggled with adopting national cancer registration,” noted Dr. Syed Nabeel Zafar of the University of Wisconsin. “With the rising incidence of cancers, a national registry is essential. While many institutions have set up local or regional registries, government support is needed to scale efforts nationally. The good news is that it’s not prohibitively expensive — it’s entirely feasible in Pakistan.”
The researchers stress that a national cancer registry would enhance cancer surveillance, inform health policies, and improve outcomes for patients across Pakistan. The path forward, they say, lies in public-private partnerships, government commitment, and harmonizing efforts across existing registries to build a comprehensive and sustainable system.
