OBJECTIVE

To determine the pattern of cancer in Mbarara region.

DESIGN

Retrospective descriptive study.

SETTING

Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Mbarara, southwestern Uganda.

SUBJECTS

A total of 585 cancer patients diagnosed between 1995 and 1999 formed the basis of the analysis.

RESULTS

The most frequent cancers observed among males in their descending order were Kaposis sarcoma (KS), stomach, Non Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), prostate and penis while in females cancer of cervix, breast, NHL, stomach and KS were found most frequent.

CONCLUSION

This pattern was different from that of Kyadondo county, Uganda in which stomach and penila cancer were found to be rare whereas oesophageal cancer was one of the commonest cancer in Kyadondo but rare in Mbarara. These differences which are discussed in detail could be attributed to both environmental and genetic factors.