Policy makers and governments often pay little attention to support cancer registries and cancer research in Africa and mainly in East Africa. This paper demonstrates that an updated cancer registry data could be one of the main factors to control and treat cancer cases. The approach of the paper is situated in the broader studies of cancer registry and epidemiology and its effects on cancer control and treatment. The paper also shows why the findings of this study are significant. The paper makes recommendations that will hopefully help policy makers in understanding the problems and obstacles facing cancer registries and cancer genomics research in East Africa. The current study conducted a field research survey to assess the cancer registries, cancer epidemiology and cancer genomics research capabilities in five East African countries including Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda and Kenya. Uganda and Kenya were included as cancer registry controls in order to compare the best practices and lessons learnt from the existing cancer registries. This will facilitate the formulation of appropriate policies and recommendations for improved cancer care and prevention in this region. The current study provided the baseline information for conducting cancer genome analyses in the near future in this region. The study also addressed the challenges facing these countries to have up-to-date cancer registries. The study adopted questionnaire and interviewing approach to conduct the field research survey. The questionnaire assessed the cancer registries, cancer epidemiology and cancer genomics research capabilities in these countries.