A recent national study found that Arab countries recorded higher rates of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, bladder, breast and liver cancers.
The study was led by Dr. Maryam Al-Muftah and Dr. Fares Al-Ajja from the Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, affiliated with Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and aimed to compare cancer trends in Arabic-speaking countries with countries around the world, reports Al-Rai daily.
Al Jazeera.net reported that the research team used data from the International Cancer Observatory to shed light on the patterns of incidence and mortality of various types of cancer in Arabic-speaking countries.
The study found large differences in cancer incidence and death rates around the world, and although overall rates appeared lower in Arab countries for most types of cancer, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and bladder, breast, and liver cancer showed higher infection rates in Arab countries.
The Arab countries are witnessing an increase in the death rate for both sexes for all types of cancer.
The study also revealed differences in the distribution of infection rates within Arab countries. For example, the Levant region witnesses a wide spread of breast cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and some Arab Gulf countries also witness higher rates of non-Hodgkin lymphoma compared to the global average.
It appears that Hodgkin lymphoma has higher infection rates in most Arab countries.
The study showed smoking remains one of the main causes of cancer in the region, with higher rates of lung and throat cancer among young males (under 50 years of age) in some Arab countries compared to the rest of the world.