INTRODUCTION:
Cancer health literacy (CHL) refers to an individual’s ability to access, understand, and use information about cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and services. Limited CHL has been linked to poor health outcomes, including delayed diagnosis and reduced treatment adherence. This study aimed to assess the level of CHL and its associated factors among cancer patients at a tertiary hospital in Nepal.

METHODS:
A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 404 cancer patients attending the oncology outpatient department at Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital from 25 December 2023 to 25 December 2024. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee (Ref. No. IRC-PA-365/2024), and written informed consent was obtained. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire comprising three sections: socio-demographic information, disease-related factors and Cancer Health Literacy Tool-6 (CHLT-6). The chi-square test was used for bivariate analysis. Logistic regression was used.

RESULTS:
Nearly half of the participants (47.8%) demonstrated limited CHL. Age, sex, ethnicity, religion, educational level, income, place of residence and whether they received disease-related information during their last hospital visit were significantly associated with cancer health literacy. Age, ethnicity, educational level and the presence of healthcare professionals in the family were significant predictors of adequate cancer health literacy.

CONCLUSIONS:
A substantial proportion of cancer patients had limited cancer health literacy. Routine assessment of CHL and provision of appropriate educational support are recommended to enhance patient engagement and outcomes. Awareness campaigns and further research evaluating the impact of CHL on cancer prevention and screening practices are also warranted.