Introduction

Cancer is a common global disease characterized by regional variations and late clinical presentations in most developing countries including Nigeria. In 2008, Nigeria was one of the countries with the highest cancer rates in Africa and contributed to 15% of estimated new cases. Despite the threat that cancer poses in sub-Saharan Africa, few countries have established implementation for control of the disease. This study analyses the trends and peculiarity of cancer in the Nigerian population, by comparing and contrasting its prevalence among males and females. We also present estimates of cancer incidence in the Nigerian population.

Material and methods

Data on cases and cancer mortality rates were obtained from the WHO cancer mortality database, Health statistics and information systems. The data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics v. 17.

Results

A slightly declining cancer mortality rate was observed from 2000 to 2012. A higher mortality rate was observed among women than men. The highest incidence of cancer among men was observed for prostate and liver cancer, while breast and cervix uteri cancer had the highest incidence among females.

Conclusions

Though a slight decline in cancer mortality was observed in the study, the cancer mortality rate in Nigeria is still high. It is important to identify factors that promote cancer control and ensure the next steps towards further eradication of cancer and cancer-related diseases in Nigeria.