Epidemiology of Cancer in Tanzania Based on GLOBOCAN 2022 Estimates of Burden and Trends

Background Cancer is an increasingly important public health challenge in Tanzania, where both infection-related and lifestyle-associated malignancies are on the rise. In the absence of a comprehensive national cancer registry, GLOBOCAN provides modelled estimates that are essential for guiding cancer control planning. Objective To describe the burden and distribution of cancer in Tanzania using the GLOBOCAN 2022 estimates, with focus on incidence, mortality, and five-year prevalence disaggregated by sex and cancer type. Methods This was a descriptive secondary data analysis using publicly available estimates from GLOBOCAN 2022, developed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO). The study examined all cancer types in Tanzania, using summary statistics and rankings based on number of cases, deaths, and prevalence. Indicators included number of new cases, age-standardized incidence and mortality rates, cumulative lifetime risk, and five-year prevalence. Results In 2022, Tanzania recorded 44,931 new cancer cases and 29,743 deaths, with an ASR of 140.1 per 100,000 and mortality rate of 97.1 per 100,000. Prostate cancer led incidence among men (33.4%), followed by oesophageal and stomach cancers, while cervical cancer predominated in women (52.0%), followed by breast and oesophageal cancers. Mortality mirrored incidence trends. Tanzania’s ASR was slightly above the Eastern Africa average (130.3 per 100,000) but below the global ASR (197.9 per 100,000), whereas the mortality-to-incidence ratio (0.66) indicates a high proportion of fatal outcomes relative to incidence. Conclusion Cancer burden in Tanzania is rising and dominated by preventable and treatable cancers such as cervical and prostate cancer. The findings call for urgent investment in prevention, early detection, and equitable treatment access, as well as the development of a national cancer registry to enhance surveillance and planning.