Prevalence and pattern of cancers among patients attending Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland

Background Cancer is a growing public health concern in developing nations, yet data from many regions, including Somaliland, remains scarce. The absence of population-based cancer registries means that hospital-based studies are crucial for initial insights into the local cancer burden.Objective This study aims to determine the prevalence and pattern of various cancers among patients diagnosed at Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland, to provide foundational data for the region.Methods A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted using patient record books at Al-Hayat Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. Data on age, sex, year of diagnosis, sample type for diagnosis, and the confirmed type of cancer were extracted and analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results This retrospective study analyzed 130 cases of suspected cancer at Al-Hayat Hospital between January 2018 and December 2020. The findings indicate a higher prevalence among males, who constituted 64.6% of the patients, compared to females at 35.4%. The majority of cases were observed in middle-aged and older adults, with 42.3% of patients aged 41-60 and 36.9% aged 61-80. A significant increase in diagnosed cases was noted over the study period, with the number of cases surging from 18 in 2018 to 82 in 2020. Prostate cancer was the most frequently diagnosed malignancy, accounting for 26.15% of all cases. Other common cancers included esophageal cancer (11.54%), breast cancer (8.46%), and skin cancer (7.69%).Conclusion The study concludes that cancer represents a significant and growing public health concern for patients attending Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland. The most prevalent malignancies identified were prostate, esophageal, and breast cancers. These hospital-based findings, the first of their kind for this region, offer crucial baseline data in an area lacking a comprehensive cancer registry. The data underscores the urgent need for further research and the development of targeted cancer control and prevention strategies in Somaliland.