Geographic Characteristics of Various Cancers in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia: A Spatial Analysis at the Community Level

BACKGROUND: Cancer remains a significant public health problem in Indonesia and worldwide. Yogyakarta Province has the largest number of cancer cases in Indonesia. Maps of the distribution of cancer cases are useful tools for stratification of cancer risk and for selective prevention strategies. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial distribution of cancer cases in Yogyakarta Province. METHODS: Cancer patient data registered by the Yogyakarta Provincial Health Office during 2019-2020 were analysed in this study (n=9,933). To evaluate cancer pattern distributions, ArcGIS 10.2 and Excel 2016 software were used. RESULTS: The mean participant age (± standard deviation) was 55.08 ± 15.46 years, and 79.40% were female. Breast and cervical cancer were the most frequently diagnosed, and the majority of patients were located in Sleman district. The incidence of all cancer types varied by county-level. The majority of cancer patients lived below the poverty line. Cancer screening rates were low, and screening was limited to breast and cervical cancer. CONCLUSION: Various types of cancers were identified in Yogyakarta, Indonesia; of them, breast and cervical cancer predominated. Most of the cancer patients were from Sleman district and economically poor areas. Geospatial techniques are useful for identifying environmental factors related to cancer and improving cancer control strategies and resource allocation.