Review Article: Cancer Trends in Asia Cancer Care in Pakistan

Pakistan is a country in south-west Asia with an area of 310 403 square miles and a population in 2008 of 173 million. The gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010 was US$ 177 billion with a per capita GDP of US$ 2005, ranking 173rd in the world, and a per capita income of US$ 1257 or 138th in the world rankings. The human development index in 2011 was 0.504 making Pakistan 145th in the world rankings. Public sector spending on health in Pakistan is US$ 6.4 per capita. We review here the current burden of cancer in Pakistan, followed by an assessment of the current facilities for diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the country. An effort is made to define the key problems in the delivery of optimal cancer care, and some possible solutions are offered.