Epidemiological characteristics of cancer patients at Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Northern Ethiopia

Cancer is a critical global public health issue, contributing to high rates of hospitalization and mortality worldwide yet limited research address population-based cancer data in East Africa particularly Northern Ethiopia. This study describes the epidemiology characteristics of cancer by demography, cancer type, and asses the risk factors and evaluates treatment and prevention modalities in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia filling a crucial information gap in the region. A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was employed, and data were extracted from hospital cancer registry and confirmed cancer patient's medical records spanning from September 2017 to September 2025. Key variables include age, sex, location, cancer type, treatment received and survival status. Statistical descriptive analysis was done across the data. The analysis includes 4229 cancer patients. Median age at diagnosis was 46 years and 63.2% of the patients were females. Nearly 44 % were aged 35 to 54. We found that the most common cancer was Breast (12.7%), Cervical (12.3%), Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (8.7%), colorectal cancer (7.5%), ovarian cancer (7%) and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (6.9%). While Cervical, Breast and Ovarian Cancer were the leading cancer types in females Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma and Small/Chronic lymphocytic leukemia were among males. In a comprehensive analysis of female Breast cancer patients 25 % were under 40 years, the youngest being 19 and nearly half (45.3 %) of colonic cancer cases were diagnosed under 50 years of age, as young as 8 years old. In addition, a significant proportion of cancer cases (two third) were found in areas with ongoing conflict suggesting exposure to potential environmental risk factors. Significant variation in age and sex was noticed in this study . This study calls for expansion of cancer registry sites in the region. These unusual findings among these age groups suggest the need to screen the risk factors among young individuals for genetic predisposition and early environmental and lifestyle exposure in this population (Tigray is a conflict affected region with exposure to environmental contaminants for decades). The absence of molecular testing (BRCA 1 and 2, TP53, MLH1, and MSH2) and genetic risk assessment in those high-risk individuals in the region may be one contributing factor. In collaboration with laboratory research teams' genetic risk assessment is planned to further evaluate risk factors. Targeted earlier screening and management strategies are urgently needed to minimize cancer burden in this region.