Light is shed on the prevalence of cancer in Somalia and the dire need for accessible and affordable oncology services in Somalia and the urgent to need to establish national or population-based cancer registries to determine cancer incidence, identify risk factors, and create national plan for cancer prevention, control, and treatment.
Abstract
Cancer incidence and mortality rates are increasing globally. Approximately 20 million new cancer cases and 10 million cancer-related deaths were recorded in 2022. Cancer incidence is projected to reach 35 million new cases by 2050. Cancer incidence in Africa constituted only 5.9% of global cancer; however, Africa has the highest cancer mortality rate (64.4%) compared to all other continents. Cancer mortality rate in Sub-Saharan Africa is alarmingly high compared to other World Health Organization African Region. In Somalia, due to the lack of cancer registries, cancer incidence and mortality rates from neighboring countries are used, and the true cancer burden in the country remains known.In this study, we performed a retrospective cross-sectional study and reviewed records of patients with histologically or radiologically confirmed cancer between January 2020 and July 2025. Patient records from the five major diagnostic centers in Mogadishu and Hargeisa, the two most-populous cities in the country, were selected and analyzed descriptively for this study. Mogadishu is in the southern part of the country, whereas Hargeisa - the second largest city in Somalia, is in the northwestern part of the country.In the study period, 2417 registered cancer cases, 1354 (56%) were reported in women, and 1063 (44%) were reported in men. The primary cancer types were esophageal cancer, which was diagnosed among 898 (37.2%) patients, of which 522 (58%) were women, and 376 (42%) were men. Breast cancer was the second most frequently diagnosed cancer after esophageal, 238 patients (9.8%), followed by prostate with 178 (7.4%) cases, leukemia with 156 (6.5%) cases, thyroid with 123 (5.1%) cases, liver with 123 (5.1%) cases, and colorectal cancer with 120 (5.0%) cases.Our multicenter study across Mogadishu and Hargeisa, Somalia, sheds light on the prevalence of cancer in Somalia and the dire need for accessible and affordable oncology services in Somalia. Although several institutions in the country provide oncology-related services, their service is limited to chemotherapy and surgery. The study also reveals the urgent to need to establish national or population-based cancer registries to determine cancer incidence, identify risk factors, and create national plan for cancer prevention, control, and treatment.
Cancer is a major global public health challenge and remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases globally and ranks among the leading causes of death in developing countries. This study aimed to describe the trends and epidemiological characteristics of childhood malignancies in eastern Libya and evaluate cancer type frequency and demographic patterns at Benghazi Children's Hospital. A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using archived data from patients aged 0–16 years diagnosed with childhood cancers at Benghazi Children's Hospital between January 2018 and December 2022. Demographic data, clinical presentations, investigations, tumor types, disease stages, and patient outcomes were collected and analyzed. Among 75,015 hospital admissions, 362 (0.4%) were diagnosed with malignancy. Leukemia was the most common (37.5%), followed by brain tumors (17.4%) and lymphoma (10.4%). Male predominance was observed across all malignancies except brain tumors. The mean age was 6.05 ± 4.21 years, with 47.8% of patients under five years. Other tumors included Wilms' tumor (9.3%), neuroblastoma (6.6%), soft tissue sarcoma (4.9%), bone tumors (4.4%), retinoblastoma (4.1%), carcinoma (1.9%), and hepatoblastoma (0.5%). Common presentations included mass lesions (38.1%), pallor (34.3%), and appetite loss (26.9%). Advanced stages (III–IV) predominated, and 20.9% of patients died during treatment. Childhood cancer cases in eastern Libya increased by 38% over the five-year study period. Leukemia was the predominant malignancy, with most cases originating outside Benghazi. Late-stage presentation remains a significant challenge, highlighting the need for improved early detection and referral systems.
Hala Ammar· AlQalam journal of medical a...· 0 citations
Cancer is uncontrolled abnormal cell growth. In 2022, an estimated 19.3 million new cancer diagnoses and 10 million cancer deaths were recorded globally. Breast cancer is among the leading cancers that result in death in Ethiopia. This study analyzed trends in breast cancer incidence in Ethiopia.
Data were extracted from the Addis Ababa population based cancer registry. Of the 28,108 registered cancer patients, 7,160 were breast cancer cases. Crude, age-standardized incidence rate (ASR), annual percentage change (APC), and the Mann-Kendall trend test were utilized using R and Joinpoint regression software.
Breast cancer accounted for more than 25% of all cancers between 2012 and 2022. While the overall trend in incidence was not statistically significant, large fluctuations were observed. Incidence was highest in 2022 and in 2016 for the crude rate and ASR, respectively. Among females, breast cancer incidence increased non-significantly until 2016 (APC = 2.8), after which it showed a non-significant decline or remained relatively stable (APC = -0.7). In males, the incidence demonstrated a non-significant increasing trend till 2020 (APC = 6.5), followed by a non-significant decline thereafter (APC = -6.09). Overall, the APC was 0.43 among females and 4.48 among males .
Breast cancer accounts for one-fourth of all cancers diagnosed. While overall trends in incidence are statistically not significant, segmented analysis indicates non-significant over all trends with observed temporal fluctuations identified in segmented analyses, with a joinpoint detected in 2016 for females and 2020 for males. These findings emphasize the need for more breast cancer control, and public health education programs.
Awgichew Kifle, A. Addissie, Mathewos Assefa et al.· BMC Cancer· 0 citations
Background: India bears a disproportionate burden of oral cancer globally. We aimed to provide an updated epidemiological assessment of oral cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence in India using GLOBOCAN 2022 data, contextualised within the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEARO). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional analysis was done using GLOBOCAN 2022 data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. India was compared with other SEARO countries and temporal trends (1992–2017) were analysed using cancer in five continents data and Indian National Cancer Registry Programme data. Age-standardised rates (ASRs) were calculated per 100,000 population using the World Standard Population and 5-year prevalence and cumulative lifetime risk before age 75 were estimated. Results: In 2022, India reported 143,759 new oral cancer cases (10.2% of all cancers) with an ASR of 10.1 per 100,000 population. Males accounted for 75% of cases (ASR: 15.6 versus 5.0 per 100,000 in females). India recorded 79,979 deaths (8.7% of all cancer deaths) with mortality ASR of 6.4 per 100,000. The cumulative lifetime risk was 1.1%. India accounted for 81% of SEARO’s oral cancer burden despite representing 68% of the population. India’s incidence rates were 33% higher than the regional average (10.1 versus 7.5 per 100,000). Long-term trends (1992–2017) showed stabilising ASRs but increasing absolute numbers due to population growth. Tobacco and areca nut use account for approximately 70%–80% of cases. Conclusion: India has the highest oral cancer incidence globally, with persistent age and gender disparities. The disproportionate burden relative to population size reflects entrenched behavioural risk factors and systemic gaps in prevention, screening and treat-ment. Urgent priorities include enhanced tobacco control legislation, targeted risk-based screening expansion and leveraging digital health innovations to reduce oral cancer morbidity and mortality.
D. Francis, Saravanan Sampoornam Pape Reddy· ecancermedicalscience· 0 citations
Currently, cancer represents an escalating public health crisis in Africa, ranking as the continent’s fifth leading cause of mortality. According to recent GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, approximately 1.15 million new cancer cases and 754,500 deaths occurred across Africa in that year alone. On a global scale, there were an estimated 20 million new cases and 9.7 million deaths in 2022, with a disproportionate burden falling on underserved regions. Low- and middle-income countries are projected to account for nearly 75% of global cancer deaths, highlighting a stark geographical inequity in access to timely diagnosis and comprehensive care. This review provides an inclusive presentation of the two most prevalent reproductive malignancies in Africa: prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women. Set against the backdrop of the continent’s unique socioeconomic landscape, the article explores the complex interplay of prevalence and risk factors, ranging from genetic and phenotypic predispositions to environmental and epigenetic influences. Recognizing the diverse healthcare landscape in Africa, this work addresses the accessibility of conventional medicine while evaluating the supervised integration of potential herbal agents as complementary therapies. This review identifies barriers to effective disease management and discusses the current and future cancer burden across the African continent for non-specialist readers and those seeking to understand oncological care in Africa. Ultimately, the findings underscore an urgent need for targeted policy-making and strategic investment in prevention. Prioritizing timely screening and strengthening treatment infrastructure are essential steps for authorities to mitigate the surging cancer burden and maintain the health of African populations.
C. Kimwele, Catherine Kaluwa, A. Nyongesa et al.· Cancer Plus· 0 citations
Cervical cancer remains a major public health concern in Mongolia, where screening coverage is estimated at approximately 38%, well below recommended levels, and access to timely diagnosis varies. This study examined temporal trends in incidence and mortality and assessed the impact of COVID-19–related disruptions on cancer detection.
A nationwide population-based study was conducted using data from Mongolia’s national health information system (H-Info). All cervical cancer cases (ICD-10: C53.0-C53.9) and related deaths from 2014 to 2024 were included. Age-standardized incidence (ASIR) and mortality rates (ASMR) were calculated using the WHO world standard population as reference. Temporal trends were analyzed using log-linear and segmented regression models. The mortality-to-incidence ratio (MIR) was used as an ecological indicator of population-level cancer outcomes.
A total of 3,990 cases and 1,370 deaths were identified. Incidence increased between 2014 and 2016, declined thereafter, and dropped sharply during 2020–2022 (APC −29.4%), before rebounding in 2023–2024. In contrast, mortality declined gradually over the study period. MIR increased during the pandemic and declined following service recovery.
Cervical cancer incidence in Mongolia is highly sensitive to disruptions in screening and diagnostic services. Divergent trends between incidence and mortality likely reflect reduced detection during the pandemic rather than true changes in disease burden. These findings highlight the importance of maintaining continuity of cancer screening and diagnostic services during health-system disruptions.
Nomin-Erdene Tsogtgerel, Dolgorkhand Adiyadorj, Gan-Erdene Ganbaatar et al.· Frontiers in Oncology· 0 citations
Skin cancer has emerged as a major global health challenge, with persistent variations in the burden across countries and regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the global, regional, and national burden of malignant melanoma (MM), squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma from 1990 to 2021, and to analyze their temporal trends and associations with the Socio-demographic Index. We selected data on cancer incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from 204 countries and regions between 1990 and 2021, using the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study. Temporal trends were quantified by calculating the incidence, mortality, and DALY rates as well as their percentage changes, while also analyzing the association between DALYs and Socio-demographic Index. Globally in 2021, 2.3 million cases of illness, 61.5 thousand deaths, and 1678.8 thousand DALYs were attributed to MM; squamous cell carcinoma caused 2.8 million prevalent cases, 56.9 thousand deaths, and 1210.9 thousand DALYs; and basal cell carcinoma accounted for 2.2 million epidemic cases and 2 thousand DALYs. Epidemic cases, deaths, DALYs counts, and age-standardized point rates are rising, but MM-induced deaths and DALYs rates have declined over the past 3 decades. The burden of skin cancer is higher in Australasia and High-income North America than in other regions. Under the Global Burden of Disease regional classifications, Australasia comprises Australia, New Zealand, and surrounding territories, while High-income North America encompasses the United States and Canada. At the national level, the burden is higher in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States; the burden is generally higher in men than in women, and is higher in older adults than in young people. Our study indicates that skin cancer remains an important public health issue worldwide. High-income regions such as Australasia and North America will continue to bear the greatest burden. Simultaneously, the burden on East Asia, Latin America, and Africa is rapidly increasing. This study also showed that the disease burden was greater in men and older adults. Therefore, countries and regions should attach great importance to the prevention and treatment of skin cancers, and develop and improve preventive measures.