Cancer pattern in a hospital-based registry

Background: The Zaria Cancer Registry (ZCR) documents cancer cases within Zaria and environ with the objective of monitoring, planning, and screening of population at risk of developing cancer. The objective of this paper is to review the pattern and distribution of cancers as documented in the ZCR. Materials and Methods: A 5-year analysis of cancer cases recorded from January 2009 to December 2013 was made. Data sourced were grouped into those primarily from the hospital (A) and referrals from hospitals within (B) and outside (C) Kaduna state. Data compilation was done using CANREG4 software and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-0 classification and coding system. Results: A total of 2,536 new cancers were recorded with 1,014 males and 1,522 females. Cancer diagnosis from the histology of primary disease cases accounted for 86.3%, while cytology diagnosis cases comprised 10.6%. Over 90% of the diagnosis was based on symptomatic presentation by patients, while 81.6% were well-differentiated cancers. The peak age distribution was in 4 th -6 th decades of life in 58.9% cases, while 138 cancers were recorded in children aged 10 years and below. A total of 68 (2.7%) cases were also recorded in adolescents. Morphologically, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma (not otherwise specified (NOS)), and infiltrating duct carcinoma were the commonest. About 60% of patients received two or more treatment modalities. Conclusion: The cancer distribution pattern from this registry is reflective of the cancer distribution in the larger population. Breast cancer was most common in females and ranked first overall, while prostate cancer was the commonest in males. This information is useful in planning for effective cancer screening, prevention, and management.