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Cross River State recorded 1,459 cancer cases between 2018 and 2022, with women accounting for over two-thirds of the total, data from the Calabar Cancer Registry have shown.
Director of the Registry, Prof. Ima-Obong Ekanem, disclosed this at a two-day capacity workshop for Cancer Registrars held at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH.
The training was organised by the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, NICRAT, in collaboration with Linkwell Dynamic Concept.
Of the total cases, 984 (67.4 per cent) were females and 475 (32.6 per cent) males, giving a male-to-female ratio of 1:2. An average of 292 cases was recorded annually — a 51 per cent rise compared to 2009–2013.
Ekanem, also Chief Consultant Pathologist at UCTH, said the report covered only three of the state’s 18 local government areas and excluded benign tumours, in line with global standards.
Among men, prostate cancer led with 149 cases (33.4 per cent), followed by lymphoma, colorectal, breast, mouth and pharynx, larynx, lung, bladder, leukaemia and thyroid cancers.
For women, breast cancer topped the chart with 397 cases (40.3 per cent), followed by cervical cancer with 170 (17.3 per cent). Ovarian, uterine, colorectal and lymphoma cases were also recorded.
In children, 90 cases were documented, with retinoblastoma and lymphoma the most frequent.
Ekanem said over one-third of cancers are preventable through reduced exposure to risk factors and vaccination against Hepatitis B and Human Papilloma Virus, which are linked to liver and cervical cancers.
She urged healthy diets, regular exercise, avoidance of tobacco and excessive alcohol, and reduced sugar and salt intake. She also cautioned against harmful practices such as skin bleaching.
Men above 40, she advised, should undergo annual prostate checks, while women should carry out monthly breast self-examinations and periodic Pap smear and HPV DNA tests.
She noted that screening services remain unaffordable for many, stressing the need for a stronger health system to guarantee access to diagnosis and treatment.
Ekanem cited funding and logistics gaps as major challenges facing the registry and called for support.
NICRAT Director-General, Prof. Usman Malami Aliyu, represented by Bashir Mustapha, said accurate cancer data are vital for planning, budgeting and effective control programmes nationwide.
