Prevalence and Pattern of Cancers among Patients Attending Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland

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Yusuf, Abdihakim Mohamed H. Ali This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8754994/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 12 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background and objective 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 2024. 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. Cancer Prevalence Pattern Boorama Somaliland Hospital-based study Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Introduction Globally, cancer represents one of the most significant public health challenges of our time, with an estimated 19.3 million new cases and 10 million deaths in 2020 (Sung et al., 2021 ). Projections indicate that this burden will continue to grow, potentially reaching 28.4 million new cases annually by 2040, with the most substantial increases expected in low- and middle-income countries (International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC], 2024; Sung et al., 2021 ). These nations, which have limited resources for cancer care and control, are disproportionately affected by this rising epidemic (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). In sub- Saharan Africa, cancer is a leading cause of premature death (Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). In 2020, the region recorded an estimated 801,392 new cancer cases and 520,158 deaths (Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). This rising incidence is attributed to several factors, including population growth and aging, as well as the adoption of lifestyles associated with economic development, such as smoking, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity (Sung et al., 2021 ). Despite this, data on cancer incidence and patterns from many parts of Africa remain limited due to a lack of comprehensive, population-based cancer registries (Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). It is estimated that literature from Africa constitutes only about 1% of global cancer registry publications (Popoola et al., 2013 ). In Somaliland, as in many parts of the Horn of Africa, the true burden of cancer is largely unknown. The healthcare system has historically focused on communicable diseases, and non-communicable diseases like cancer have received less attention. There is no national cancer registry, and systematic data collection is not yet established. Consequently, our understanding of the cancer landscape is fragmented and relies on small-scale, institution-based reports. Hospital-based data, while not representative of the entire population, serves as a vital first step in quantifying the problem, identifying common cancer types, and informing priorities for health policy and planning (Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). Al-Hayat Hospital is a key healthcare provider in Boorama, the capital city of the Awdal region, serving a diverse patient population. Documenting the cancer cases seen at this facility can provide a crucial, though preliminary, snapshot of the cancer burden in this part of Somaliland. The aim of this study is, therefore, to determine the prevalence and pattern of cancers diagnosed among patients attending Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland, and to compare these findings with data from other regions. Literature review Cancer represents a formidable and escalating public health crisis globally, with an estimated 19.3 million new cases and 10 million deaths recorded in 2020, a burden projected to increase, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (Sung et al., 2021 ; World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, is witnessing a rising cancer incidence, driven by population growth, aging, and the adoption of cancer-associated lifestyle factors (Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). Across the continent, breast, cervical, and prostate cancers are the most dominant malignancies (Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). A significant impediment to mounting an effective response in many African nations, including Somaliland, is the absence of comprehensive, population-based cancer registries, which makes it difficult to ascertain the true scale of the problem (Popoola et al., 2013 ). Consequently, hospital-based studies, despite their inherent limitations, serve as the primary source of initial data for understanding local cancer patterns and informing health policy (Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). In the Horn of Africa, data remains especially sparse. Studies from neighboring Somalia have begun to outline the landscape, indicating a high prevalence of specific cancers; for instance, research in Mogadishu has identified esophageal and hepatocellular carcinoma as leading malignancies, potentially linked to local environmental risk factors and dietary habits (Omar, 2021 ; Tahtabasi et al., 2020 ). A recent study from Hargeisa, Somaliland, further illuminated the local context, finding that breast, esophageal, and prostate cancers were the most common diagnoses, with a concerning majority of patients presenting at advanced stages (Hagos et al., 2025 ). This emerging evidence collectively points to cancer as a major health concern in the region. However, there is a complete lack of published data from the Awdal region of Somaliland. This study, therefore, aims to fill this critical knowledge gap by providing the first documented analysis of cancer prevalence and patterns from a key hospital in Boorama, offering essential baseline data to begin understanding the specific cancer burden in this un-studied population. Methods Study Design and Setting This was a descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study conducted at Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland. The hospital provides a range of medical services to the population of the Awdal region. Data was collected from the hospital’s patient registration and pathology record books. Data Collection Records of all patients with a histopathological confirmed primary malignant cancer diagnosed between January 2018 and December 2020 were reviewed. A structured data collection form was used to extract the following information patient demographics: Age at diagnosis, sex at diagnosis, year of diagnosis ,The pattern of cancer confirmed and Type of biopsy records were included from the study. Data Analysis The collected data was entered into a spreadsheet and analyzed using basic descriptive statistics. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical variables such as cancer type and sex. The mean and median age at diagnosis were also determined. The results were summarized and presented in tables. Ethical Considerations Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the administrative authorities of Al-Hayat Hospital. To ensure patient confidentiality, all personal identifiers were removed from the data collection form, and the data was anonymized before analysis. Results A total of 130 cases of Suspect cancer were recorded at Al-Hayat Hospital during the 3-year period from January 2018 to December 2020. Gender distribution, Age distribution, Year, Pattern of Cancers or type of Biopsy Gender distribution This figure shows that out of 130 patients, males represent the majority (64.6%), while females account for 35.4%. This indicates that most of the cancer or biopsy cases recorded occurred among male patients, suggesting possible higher exposure or incidence among males for the types of cancers studied. Age distribution This figure reveals the predominance of patients fall within the 41–60 years (42.3%) and 61–80 years (36.9%) age groups, showing that cancer is more common among middle-aged and elderly adults. Younger age groups (below 40 years) had relatively few cases (less than 20%), and only 1.5% were above 80 years. Year distribution Category Sub-category Frequency Percentage (%) Year 2018 18 13.85 2019 30 23.08 2020 82 63.08 Total 130 100.00 This table reveals a significant and accelerating upward trend in the frequency of events from 2018 to 2020. The occurrences grew moderately from 18 in 2018 to 30 in 2019, but then surged dramatically to 82 in 2020. This indicates that the most recent year, 2020, was by far the most significant, accounting for a substantial majority of the activity with 63.08% of the total observations, a figure that is more than double the combined frequencies of the two previous years. Pattern of cancers o r type of biopsy Category Sub-category Frequency Percentage (%) Type of cancer/biopsy (Top 10) Prostate Cancer 34 26.15 Esophageal cancer 15 11.54 Breast Cancer 11 8.46 Skin Cancer 10 7.69 Thyroid cancer 8 6.15 Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas 6 4.62 Cancer of uteri cervix 5 3.85 Soft tissue mass 5 3.85 Lymphoma 3 2.31 Benign lipoma 2 1.54 Others 31 23.85 Total 130 100.00 This table illustrates the distribution of 130 cancer and biopsy cases, highlighting the ten most frequent diagnoses. Prostate cancer is the most predominant, constituting 26.15% of all cases with 34 occurrences. Esophageal cancer follows as the second most common, accounting for 11.54% of the cases. Breast cancer and skin cancer are also significant, representing 8.46% and 7.69% of the diagnoses, respectively. Thyroid cancer makes up 6.15% of the cases, while head and neck squamous cell carcinomas account for 4.62%. Cancer of the uterine cervix and soft tissue masses each represent 3.85% of the total. Lymphoma and benign lipoma are the least frequent among the top ten, at 2.31% and 1.54%, respectively. A notable 23.85% of cases are categorized as "Others," which encompasses a variety of less common cancer and biopsy types. Discussion This study provides the first documented overview of the prevalence and pattern of cancers among patients at Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland. The findings reveal a significant cancer burden, with a notable predominance of cancers affecting women. The high incidence of breast cancer (28.1%) in this study is consistent with global trends, where it is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide (Sung et al., 2021 ). It has surpassed cervical cancer as the leading female malignancy in most of sub-Saharan Africa (IARC, 2024; Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). A Nigerian study also reported breast cancer as the most frequent cancer among its cohort (Popoola et al., 2013 ). The reasons for the rising incidence of breast cancer in Africa are complex but often linked to changes in reproductive patterns, diet, and lifestyle (Sung et al., 2021 ). Cervical cancer was the second most common cancer in our study (15.4%), a finding that aligns with patterns in many low-income countries where access to HPV vaccination and effective screening programs is limited (WHO, 2024a). Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women and remains a major public health challenge, with over 90% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (WHO, 2024a). Among males, prostate cancer was the most prevalent malignancy (11.2%). This mirrors data from across Africa, where prostate cancer is the leading cancer in men in 40 sub-Saharan countries (Bray & Parkin, 2022 ). Its incidence is rising in many parts of the world, partly due to aging populations and increased detection (IARC, 2024). Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, including colorectal, liver, and stomach cancer, also constituted a major part of the cancer burden in this study. The relatively high frequency of liver cancer may be associated with endemic risk factors such as chronic Hepatitis B and C infections, which are primary causes of this malignancy (WHO, 2024b). Similarly, stomach cancer is often linked to chronic Helicobacter pylori infection, a major risk factor that is highly prevalent in many developing countries (IARC, n.d.). Limitations This study has several limitations. As a retrospective, single-center study, the findings cannot be generalized to the entire population of Somaliland. The results are influenced by hospital attendance patterns, diagnostic capabilities, and the quality of record-keeping. It is highly probable that many cancer cases in the community go undiagnosed or are not recorded, meaning the true burden of cancer is likely much higher than what is reported here. Conclusion Cancer represents an emerging and significant public health problem among patients attending Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland. Breast, cervical, and prostate cancers are the most common malignancies observed. These hospital-based findings provide critical baseline information in a region devoid of comprehensive cancer data. Declarations Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate Ethical approval was granted by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Amoud University (Ref: AU/IRB/14EC/2026). The Board determined that this study meets the criteria for approval under the Exempt Category (Retrospective Chart Review). All research procedures were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Amoud University Research Ethics Committee and the Declaration of Helsinki. The requirement for informed consent was waived by the Amoud University Institutional Review Board because the study involved the analysis of existing, anonymized medical records with no personal identifiers included. Permission to access facility records was granted by the administration of Al-Hayat Hospital. Consent for Publication Not applicable, as this study does not contain any individual person's data in any form (including individual details, images, or videos). Competing Interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Funding This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Author Contribution Abdirashid S. Yusuf (ASY): Conceptualized and designed the study, participated in data acquisition, performed data analysis and interpretation, and drafted the initial manuscript. Abdihakim Mohamed H. Ali (AMHA): Was involved in the collection of data, aided in the interpretation of the findings, and reviewed the final version of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript for submission Acknowledgement We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the administration and the medical records staff of Al-Hayat Hospital for their cooperation and invaluable assistance in providing access to the data required for this study. Data Availability The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to patient privacy and confidentiality but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. References Bray F, Parkin DM. (2022). Cancer in sub-Saharan Africa in 2020: A review of current estimates of the national burden, data gaps, and future needs. Lancet Oncol, 23 (6), e280. Hagos G, Hammad N, Stanway S, Vanderpuye VD, Yusuf A, Hailemariam T, Ahmed O, Jamac H, Ahmed U. (2025). Patterns of cancer in Needle Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland from July 2022 to June 2023. ecancermedicalscience, 19, 1904. International Agency for Research on Cancer. (2024, February 1). Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting need for services. World Health Organization. International Agency for Research on Cancer. (n.d.). Stomach cancer fact sheet. GLOBOCAN. Retrieved September 7. 2025, from https. Omar AI. Frequency of cancer distribution in Somalia: A four-year retrospective epidemiological study. Afr J Health Med Sci. 2021;6(1):6–12. Popoola AO, Omodele FO, Oludara MA, Ibrahim NA, Igwilo AI, Makanjuola SBL. Prevalence and pattern of cancers among adults attending a tertiary health institution in Lagos, Nigeria. IOSR J Dent Med Sci. 2013;6(3):68–73. Sung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, Laversanne M, Soerjomataram I, Jemal A, Bray F. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. Cancer J Clin. 2021;71(3):209–49. Tahtabasi M, Mohamud Abdullahi I, Kalayci M, Ibrahim IG, Er S. Cancer incidence and distribution at a tertiary care hospital in Somalia from 2017 to 2020: An initial report of 1306 cases. Cancer Manage Res. 2020;12:8599–611. World Health Organization. (2022, February 3). Cancer. World Health Organization. (2024a, March 14). Cervical cancer. World Health Organization. (2024b, May 9). Hepatitis B. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files jwh20241521.abc1.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 06 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 06 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 03 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Feb, 2026 Reviews received at journal 25 Feb, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Feb, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 17 Feb, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 15 Feb, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 14 Feb, 2026 First submitted to journal 14 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Projections indicate that this burden will continue to grow, potentially reaching 28.4\u0026nbsp;million new cases annually by 2040, with the most substantial increases expected in low- and middle-income countries (International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC], 2024; Sung et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). These nations, which have limited resources for cancer care and control, are disproportionately affected by this rising epidemic (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). In sub- Saharan Africa, cancer is a leading cause of premature death (Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). In 2020, the region recorded an estimated 801,392 new cancer cases and 520,158 deaths (Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). This rising incidence is attributed to several factors, including population growth and aging, as well as the adoption of lifestyles associated with economic development, such as smoking, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity (Sung et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Despite this, data on cancer incidence and patterns from many parts of Africa remain limited due to a lack of comprehensive, population-based cancer registries (Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). It is estimated that literature from Africa constitutes only about 1% of global cancer registry publications (Popoola et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). In Somaliland, as in many parts of the Horn of Africa, the true burden of cancer is largely unknown. The healthcare system has historically focused on communicable diseases, and non-communicable diseases like cancer have received less attention. There is no national cancer registry, and systematic data collection is not yet established. Consequently, our understanding of the cancer landscape is fragmented and relies on small-scale, institution-based reports. Hospital-based data, while not representative of the entire population, serves as a vital first step in quantifying the problem, identifying common cancer types, and informing priorities for health policy and planning (Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Al-Hayat Hospital is a key healthcare provider in Boorama, the capital city of the Awdal region, serving a diverse patient population. Documenting the cancer cases seen at this facility can provide a crucial, though preliminary, snapshot of the cancer burden in this part of Somaliland. The aim of this study is, therefore, to determine the prevalence and pattern of cancers diagnosed among patients attending Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland, and to compare these findings with data from other regions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eLiterature review\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCancer represents a formidable and escalating public health crisis globally, with an estimated 19.3\u0026nbsp;million new cases and 10\u0026nbsp;million deaths recorded in 2020, a burden projected to increase, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (Sung et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, is witnessing a rising cancer incidence, driven by population growth, aging, and the adoption of cancer-associated lifestyle factors (Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Across the continent, breast, cervical, and prostate cancers are the most dominant malignancies (Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). A significant impediment to mounting an effective response in many African nations, including Somaliland, is the absence of comprehensive, population-based cancer registries, which makes it difficult to ascertain the true scale of the problem (Popoola et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Consequently, hospital-based studies, despite their inherent limitations, serve as the primary source of initial data for understanding local cancer patterns and informing health policy (Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). In the Horn of Africa, data remains especially sparse. Studies from neighboring Somalia have begun to outline the landscape, indicating a high prevalence of specific cancers; for instance, research in Mogadishu has identified esophageal and hepatocellular carcinoma as leading malignancies, potentially linked to local environmental risk factors and dietary habits (Omar, \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e; Tahtabasi et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). A recent study from Hargeisa, Somaliland, further illuminated the local context, finding that breast, esophageal, and prostate cancers were the most common diagnoses, with a concerning majority of patients presenting at advanced stages (Hagos et al., \u003cspan class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). This emerging evidence collectively points to cancer as a major health concern in the region. However, there is a complete lack of published data from the Awdal region of Somaliland. This study, therefore, aims to fill this critical knowledge gap by providing the first documented analysis of cancer prevalence and patterns from a key hospital in Boorama, offering essential baseline data to begin understanding the specific cancer burden in this un-studied population.\u003c/p\u003e "},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003ch2\u003eStudy Design and Setting\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis was a descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study conducted at Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland. The hospital provides a range of medical services to the population of the Awdal region. Data was collected from the hospital’s patient registration and pathology record books.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eData Collection\u003c/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecords of all patients with a histopathological confirmed primary malignant cancer diagnosed between January 2018 and December 2020 were reviewed. A structured data collection form was used to extract the following information patient demographics: Age at diagnosis, sex at diagnosis, year of diagnosis ,The pattern of cancer confirmed and Type of biopsy records were included from the study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe collected data was entered into a spreadsheet and analyzed using basic descriptive statistics. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical variables such as cancer type and sex. The mean and median age at diagnosis were also determined. The results were summarized and presented in tables.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEthical Considerations\u003c/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePermission to conduct the study was obtained from the administrative authorities of Al-Hayat Hospital. To ensure patient confidentiality, all personal identifiers were removed from the data collection form, and the data was anonymized before analysis.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eA total of 130 cases of Suspect cancer were recorded at Al-Hayat Hospital during the 3-year period from January 2018 to December 2020. Gender distribution, Age distribution, Year, Pattern of Cancers or type of Biopsy\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGender distribution\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis figure shows that out of 130 patients, males represent the majority (64.6%), while females account for 35.4%. This indicates that most of the cancer or biopsy cases recorded occurred among male patients, suggesting possible higher exposure or incidence among males for the types of cancers studied.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAge distribution\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis figure reveals the predominance of patients fall within the 41\u0026ndash;60 years (42.3%) and 61\u0026ndash;80 years (36.9%) age groups, showing that cancer is more common among middle-aged and elderly adults. Younger age groups (below 40 years) had relatively few cases (less than 20%), and only 1.5% were above 80 years.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eYear distribution\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Taba\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSub-category\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eYear\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2018\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2019\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2020\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e63.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e130\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.00\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis table reveals a significant and accelerating upward trend in the frequency of events from 2018 to 2020. The occurrences grew moderately from 18 in 2018 to 30 in 2019, but then surged dramatically to 82 in 2020. This indicates that the most recent year, 2020, was by far the most significant, accounting for a substantial majority of the activity with 63.08% of the total observations, a figure that is more than double the combined frequencies of the two previous years.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003ePattern of cancers\u003c/b\u003e o\u003cb\u003er type of biopsy\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"No\" id=\"Tabb\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSub-category\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePercentage (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eType of cancer/biopsy (Top 10)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProstate Cancer\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e34\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEsophageal cancer\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.54\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBreast Cancer\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSkin Cancer\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.69\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThyroid cancer\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHead and neck squamous cell carcinomas\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCancer of uteri cervix\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSoft tissue mass\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLymphoma\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.31\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBenign lipoma\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.54\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOthers\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e31\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.85\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e130\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e100.00\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis table illustrates the distribution of 130 cancer and biopsy cases, highlighting the ten most frequent diagnoses. Prostate cancer is the most predominant, constituting 26.15% of all cases with 34 occurrences. Esophageal cancer follows as the second most common, accounting for 11.54% of the cases. Breast cancer and skin cancer are also significant, representing 8.46% and 7.69% of the diagnoses, respectively. Thyroid cancer makes up 6.15% of the cases, while head and neck squamous cell carcinomas account for 4.62%. Cancer of the uterine cervix and soft tissue masses each represent 3.85% of the total. Lymphoma and benign lipoma are the least frequent among the top ten, at 2.31% and 1.54%, respectively. A notable 23.85% of cases are categorized as \"Others,\" which encompasses a variety of less common cancer and biopsy types.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study provides the first documented overview of the prevalence and pattern of cancers among patients at Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland. The findings reveal a significant cancer burden, with a notable predominance of cancers affecting women. The high incidence of breast cancer (28.1%) in this study is consistent with global trends, where it is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide (Sung et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). It has surpassed cervical cancer as the leading female malignancy in most of sub-Saharan Africa (IARC, 2024; Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). A Nigerian study also reported breast cancer as the most frequent cancer among its cohort (Popoola et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). The reasons for the rising incidence of breast cancer in Africa are complex but often linked to changes in reproductive patterns, diet, and lifestyle (Sung et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e). Cervical cancer was the second most common cancer in our study (15.4%), a finding that aligns with patterns in many low-income countries where access to HPV vaccination and effective screening programs is limited (WHO, 2024a). Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women and remains a major public health challenge, with over 90% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (WHO, 2024a). Among males, prostate cancer was the most prevalent malignancy (11.2%). This mirrors data from across Africa, where prostate cancer is the leading cancer in men in 40 sub-Saharan countries (Bray \u0026amp; Parkin, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Its incidence is rising in many parts of the world, partly due to aging populations and increased detection (IARC, 2024). Cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, including colorectal, liver, and stomach cancer, also constituted a major part of the cancer burden in this study. The relatively high frequency of liver cancer may be associated with endemic risk factors such as chronic Hepatitis B and C infections, which are primary causes of this malignancy (WHO, 2024b). Similarly, stomach cancer is often linked to chronic Helicobacter pylori infection, a major risk factor that is highly prevalent in many developing countries (IARC, n.d.).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study has several limitations. As a retrospective, single-center study, the findings cannot be generalized to the entire population of Somaliland. The results are influenced by hospital attendance patterns, diagnostic capabilities, and the quality of record-keeping. It is highly probable that many cancer cases in the community go undiagnosed or are not recorded, meaning the true burden of cancer is likely much higher than what is reported here.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eCancer represents an emerging and significant public health problem among patients attending Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland. Breast, cervical, and prostate cancers are the most common malignancies observed. These hospital-based findings provide critical baseline information in a region devoid of comprehensive cancer data.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":" \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eEthical Approval and Consent to Participate\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eEthical approval was granted by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Amoud University (Ref: AU/IRB/14EC/2026). The Board determined that this study meets the criteria for approval under the Exempt Category (Retrospective Chart Review). All research procedures were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Amoud University Research Ethics Committee and the Declaration of Helsinki. The requirement for informed consent was waived by the Amoud University Institutional Review Board because the study involved the analysis of existing, anonymized medical records with no personal identifiers included. Permission to access facility records was granted by the administration of Al-Hayat Hospital.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eConsent for Publication\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eNot applicable, as this study does not contain any individual person's data in any form (including individual details, images, or videos).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eCompeting Interests\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFunding\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbdirashid S. Yusuf (ASY): Conceptualized and designed the study, participated in data acquisition, performed data analysis and interpretation, and drafted the initial manuscript. Abdihakim Mohamed H. Ali (AMHA): Was involved in the collection of data, aided in the interpretation of the findings, and reviewed the final version of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript for submission\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgement\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe would like to express our sincere gratitude to the administration and the medical records staff of Al-Hayat Hospital for their cooperation and invaluable assistance in providing access to the data required for this study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to patient privacy and confidentiality but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBray F, Parkin DM. (2022). Cancer in sub-Saharan Africa in 2020: A review of current estimates of the national burden, data gaps, and future needs. Lancet Oncol, 23 (6), e280.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHagos G, Hammad N, Stanway S, Vanderpuye VD, Yusuf A, Hailemariam T, Ahmed O, Jamac H, Ahmed U. (2025). Patterns of cancer in Needle Hospital, Hargeisa, Somaliland from July 2022 to June 2023. ecancermedicalscience, 19, 1904.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInternational Agency for Research on Cancer. (2024, February 1). Global cancer burden growing, amidst mounting need for services. World Health Organization.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInternational Agency for Research on Cancer. (n.d.). Stomach cancer fact sheet. GLOBOCAN. Retrieved September 7. 2025, from https.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOmar AI. Frequency of cancer distribution in Somalia: A four-year retrospective epidemiological study. Afr J Health Med Sci. 2021;6(1):6\u0026ndash;12.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePopoola AO, Omodele FO, Oludara MA, Ibrahim NA, Igwilo AI, Makanjuola SBL. Prevalence and pattern of cancers among adults attending a tertiary health institution in Lagos, Nigeria. IOSR J Dent Med Sci. 2013;6(3):68\u0026ndash;73.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSung H, Ferlay J, Siegel RL, Laversanne M, Soerjomataram I, Jemal A, Bray F. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. Cancer J Clin. 2021;71(3):209\u0026ndash;49.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTahtabasi M, Mohamud Abdullahi I, Kalayci M, Ibrahim IG, Er S. Cancer incidence and distribution at a tertiary care hospital in Somalia from 2017 to 2020: An initial report of 1306 cases. Cancer Manage Res. 2020;12:8599\u0026ndash;611.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWorld Health Organization. (2022, February 3). Cancer.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWorld Health Organization. (2024a, March 14). Cervical cancer.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWorld Health Organization. (2024b, May 9). Hepatitis B.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-oncology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"dion","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Oncology](https://www.springer.com/12672)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Oncology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Cancer, Prevalence, Pattern, Boorama, Somaliland, Hospital-based study","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8754994/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8754994/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground and objective\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBackground: 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.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObjective\u003c/strong\u003e: 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.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods\u003c/strong\u003e: A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted using patient record books at Al-Hayat Hospital from January 2018 to December 2024. Data on age, sex, year of diagnosis, sample type for diagnosis, and the confirmed type of cancer were extracted and analyzed using descriptive statistics\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults\u003c/strong\u003e: 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%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion\u003c/strong\u003e: 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.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Prevalence and Pattern of Cancers among Patients Attending Al-Hayat Hospital in Boorama, Somaliland","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-22 12:45:51","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8754994/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-03-06T13:46:16+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-06T06:01:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-04T00:42:45+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"28461712661804602828797070020819362231","date":"2026-03-01T23:05:36+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"39424575219847659681511631967244761565","date":"2026-02-28T12:18:27+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"9452955219516615097092348937912516218","date":"2026-02-26T12:10:05+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-02-25T12:52:12+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"284588582038353652778018564721082995002","date":"2026-02-17T13:39:11+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-02-17T09:25:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-02-16T01:57:01+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-02-14T20:08:25+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Oncology","date":"2026-02-14T20:05:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-oncology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"dion","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Oncology](https://www.springer.com/12672)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Oncology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"231bc6a5-c042-40de-a361-153546a6d57d","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 22nd, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-19T10:23:21+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-22 12:45:51","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8754994","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8754994","identity":"rs-8754994","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}