Cancer in Iraq: seven years' data from the Baghdad Tumour Registry.

The relative frequency, by age, sex and site, of the malignant tumours notified to the Baghdad Cancer Registry for the period 1976-1982 is presented. The pattern of cancer occurrence resembles that seen in other Middle-Eastern populations in the frequency of respiratory cancer and lymphomas, and the apparent deficit of cervix cancer. Cancer of the urinary bladder is the dominant tumour, the majority being squamous-cell carcinomas, and the occurrence of this type is associated with histological evidence of infection with Schistosoma haematobium. However, the prevalence of schistosome ova in association with bladder cancer is lower than that reported in other endemic areas.