Introduction: Changes in the epidemiology of cancers in some African countries due to demographic shift and change in lifestyle is well documented. Availability of screening, diagnostic and treatment facilities for the population serving a registry overtime is likely to impact on parameters of collated and stored data. We therefore sought to document changes in trends observed in the data stored at the Jos University's (JUTH's) cancer registry over the period of years in focus and highlight the role of certain local factors on these changes.
Methodology: This is a 22 year retrospective descriptive study of top ten common cancers documented at the cancer registry at JUTH. JUTH is a tertiary health center located at Jos, North-Central Nigeria. Variables such as age, topography of cancer and sex were obtained and their proportions described.
Results: A total of 4,279 top ten cancers were recorded during the period of study of which years 1996-2005 accounted for 2,035(47.56 %), 2006-2015; 1,606 (37.53 %) and January 2016-June 2018; 638 (14.91 %). In the different periods considered prostate cancer was the commonest in males (1996-2005:226(28.83%); 2006-2015:224(37.27%) and January 2016-June 2018:136(37.99%). While among females breast cancer was commonest 491(39.25%) from 1996-2005, 2006-2015 cervical cancer 371 (36.92%) and 2016-2018 breast cancer 140 (50.00%). In the period 2016-2018 liver cancer became the third commonest cancer while cervical cancer came to fifth position 35(5.49%).
Conclusion: Changing trends in the registry's data to provide conclusions useful for policy formulation and implementation.
Keywords: JUTH; cancer; cancer registry; trends.