Epidemiological and Demographic Characteristics of Cancer Patients in Abu Ali Sina Balkhi Regional Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background and Objective: Cancer is an important health problem in Afghanistan, while the lack of a regular cancer registry limits understanding of its epidemiological pattern. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological and demographic characteristics of cancer patients at Abu Ali Sina Balkhi Regional Teaching Hospital. Method: This hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study included 1,612 cancer patients registered during 1401–1403 SH and seven months of 1404 SH. Data were obtained from medical records, oncology registries, diagnostic reports, and imaging results. IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 was used to calculate frequencies, percentages, and 95% confidence intervals for proportions. Findings/Result: Esophageal cancer accounted for 297 cases (18.4%), gastric cancer for 200 (12.4%), and breast cancer for 192 (11.9%). Men constituted 55.0% of patients, and 60.9% were aged 51 years or older. Overall, 162 cancer-related deaths were recorded. Conclusion: Strengthening hospital-based cancer registration, early diagnosis, oncology services, and systematic data collection is necessary for improving cancer care.