Burden of Cancer in the Arab World
Ammar Ahmed Siddiqui, Junaid Amin, Freah Alshammary, Eman Afroze, Sameer Shaikh, Hassaan Anwer Rathore, Rabia Khan
Abstract
Cancer is a major health burden globally, and the burden of cancer will be aggrandized mostly by an increasing elderly population as the world population expands due to greater engagement in cancer-causing habits such as various forms of smoking and alcoholism. These habits poise cancer to become a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in almost every region of the globe. The Arab world is a region of 22 Arabic speaking countries with a population of 620 million and straddles the continents of Asia and Africa. This chapter reviews the incidence, patterns, economic, and health burden of various types of cancers in the Arab world. Cancer registries in the Arab region are excellent resource of various aspects of cancer. In this chapter, a substantial amount of authentic population-based data on cancer in the Arab world is narrated. Progress and achievements in screening, prevention, and management can reduce cancer incidence and/or mortality rates within the Arab world. This can be achieved through better coordination of the research and healthcare communities and such collaborative efforts within the Arab world could bring significant improvements in cancer control and prevention in the region.