Conducting the Pakistan brain tumour epidemiology study - report on the methodology

Authors

  • Erum Baig  University of Pennsylvania, USA.
  • Mashal Murad Shah  The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan.
  • Mohammad Hamza Bajwa The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan
  • Muhammad Usman Khalid  The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan.
  • Saad Akhtar Khan  Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi.
  • Ummey Hani  The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan
  • Saad bin Anis  Shaukat Khanum Cancer Memorial Hospital, Lahore.
  • Altaf Ali Laghari Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Naveed Zaman Akhunzada  Rehman Medical Institute, Hayatabad, Peshawar,Pakistan
  • Jaleed Ahmed Gilani The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan
  • Noyan Jawed The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan
  • Muhammad Faraz Raghib  The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan
  • Sameen Siddiqi The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan
  • Syed Ather Enam The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi,Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.11-S4-AKUB02

Abstract

Objective: To combat the lack of brain tumour registries, the Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study (PBTES) was conducted without any funding from an external source.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patient data, including patients of all age groups diagnosed with all histopathological types of brain tumours from all over Pakistan, was performed. For this, Pakistan Brain Tumour Consortium (PBTC) was established, including 32 neurosurgical centres from around the country. Data was collected online through a proforma that included variables such as patient demographics, clinical characteristics, operative details, postoperative complications, survival indices, and current functional status. The data collection and analysis team included principal investigators, core leads, regional leads, regional associates, and student facilitators. Despite logistical concerns and lack of resources, the PBTES was conducted successfully, and a formal brain tumour surveillance database was formed without any external funding, which remains unheard of.

Conclusion: The methods applied in this study are reproducible and can be employed not just to develop more robust brain tumour and other cancer registries but also to study the epidemiology of communicable and non-communicable diseases in resource-limited settings, both locally and globally. 

Keywords: brain neoplasms, retrospective study, epidemiology, noncommunicable diseases.

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Published

2022-12-15

How to Cite

Erum Baig , Mashal Murad Shah , Mohammad Hamza Bajwa, Muhammad Usman Khalid , Saad Akhtar Khan , Ummey Hani , Saad bin Anis , Altaf Ali Laghari, Naveed Zaman Akhunzada , Jaleed Ahmed Gilani, Noyan Jawed, Muhammad Faraz Raghib , Sameen Siddiqi, & Syed Ather Enam. (2022). Conducting the Pakistan brain tumour epidemiology study - report on the methodology. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 72(11), S12- S15. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.11-S4-AKUB02

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