SPECTRUM OF MALIGNANT TUMOURS IN ADOLESCENCE AND YOUNG ADULTS: AN ANALYSIS OF 1873 CASES

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the epidemiology and clinicopathological pattern of malignant tuours in the adolescence and young adults (AYAs) age groups. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration: The study was based on analysis of ten years data of tumor registry (2009-2018), at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Methodology: All histologically diagnosed malignant tumors registered (in the age group of 10-24 years) with the tumor registry of AFIP, Rawalpindi were retrieved. The basic epidemiological data of the cases was collected from the request forms and data was analysed for the site of involvement, age distribution and histological types of tumors. Results: During the ten year study period (2009-2018), a total of 1873 malignant tumours were found in adolescence and adult age group. The malignant tumours in this age group were 4.95% of all malignant tumors. Lymph node malignancies (lymphomas) were the commonest, accounting for 19.4% in males and 13.2% in females. These were followed by bone and soft tissue tumours in males whereas in females after bone tumours, ovarian tumours made their appearance at third place. Conclusion: Lymphomas, bone and soft tissue tumors followed by ovarian in females and testicular tumours in male, were the main bulk of tumours in adolescence and young adults. Malignant tumors were 1.5 times more common in males than females.