Prevalence and Trends of Colorectal Cancer, In Nyambene, Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is becoming a serious health problem in Kenya, particularly in the Kiegoi location of the Nyambene region. There is limited evidence on the prevalence and trends of colorectal cancer in Nyambene, which policy makers can use to guide intervention measures. This study, therefore, evaluated the trends and prevalence of colorectal cancer in Nyambene based on hospital records. Method: A cross-sectional retrospective review of 200 clinical records of colorectal cancer patients obtained from the cancer registry at Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital (MeTRH). Structured questionnaires were used in collecting patients’ information. Results: 200 cases were identified during the study period. The median age was 51 years with a mean age of 51.27 years. 116 (58%) of the recorded cases were found to be male and 84 (42 %) were females. The commonest clinical symptoms presented were blood in stool in 105 patients (52.5%), abdominal pain in 57 patients (28.5 %) and rectal bleeding in 36 patients (18 %). According to the TNM staging of cancer, majority of the patients 90 (45%) were identified as having late stage cancer. The overall crude incidence was per 100,000 of the population. The age specific standardized rate was per 100,000 of the population. Conclusion: This study has showed a high prevalence of colorectal cancer in Nyambene with similar trends in clinical patterns as to that observed in most African countries.