Background: It is observed that cancers are increasingly seen in both genders and all the age groups due to a complex interaction of various risk factors. To implement the Public health intervention measures it is essential to have the baseline data regarding frequency, distribution of cancers in the population. Objective: To study the magnitude of cancers by obtaining a baseline data regarding the frequency, distribution, leading cancer sites among the patients in a tertiary cancer care hospital of Rural Maharashtra. Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study was conducted through case records of cancer patients who reported in the year 2012 to Pravara Rural Hospital Based Cancer Registry (HBCR), Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Rural Medical College and Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni, Maharashtra state, India. A predesigned performa (a core form by HBCR programme) was used to collect the data. Results: 41 % Males and 59% Females in the age group 35-64 years had cancer. The sex ratio was 1:1.44. Top five Cancer in this study were Tongue, Mouth, Larynx and Lung. Top five Cancer in females were Cervix, Breast, Ovary, Mouth and Oesophagus. 56.8% were TRCs (Tobacco Related Cancers) in males while 13.2% were TRCs in females.

 Key-words: Magnitude; Leading sites; Cancer; Hospital based cancer registry; rural Maharashtra.