Cancer in Five Countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Epidemiological Trends and Risk Implications.

Abstract

Cancer is a major public health problem and is the second leading cause of death around the world. The incidence rates of some cancer types rise dramatically with certain risk factors, a fact that is exemplified by the high susceptibility to lung cancer as a result of tobacco smoking. The frame of cancer as a preventable disease and the challenges of its treatment emphasize the need for specific risk preventive measures. Therefore, attempts are continuously carried out to provide a better understanding of the cancer incidence patterns and how the most common risk factors are implicated. This study aimed to compare the cancer incidence rates in Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Iraq over 18 years (2000-2017) and relate the high estimates to certain risk factors to help decision-makers better prevent this disease. Graphical and numerical descriptive illustrations of the total incidence rates, age-specific incidence rates, and incidence by cancer type were generated using data obtained from the Global Health Data exchange database. Risk factors prevalence and their pathogenic role were sought using PubMed and science direct databases as well as the world bank data. Lebanon had the highest overall age-adjusted incidence rates with a gradual increase from 231 to 353 and the highest life expectancy mean of 77.5 years. Breast, lung, and colorectal cancers were the most common cancer types in both genders and all ages in the five countries with varied ratios that were consistent with the risk factors prevalent. The association between the spread of the studied risk factors and the high trends of the corresponding cancer types highlights the importance of targeted preventive measures and serve as a guide for evidence-based prevention strategies.