Cancer burden in four countries of the Middle East Cancer Consortium (Cyprus; Jordan; Israel; Izmir (Turkey)) with comparison to the United States surveillance; epidemiology and end results program

• Authors: Hoda Anton-Culver, University of California Irvine; Jenny Chang, University of California Irvine; Freddie Bray, International Agency of Research on Cancer; Ariana Znaor, International Agency of Research on Cancer; Lisa Stevens, NCI; Sultan Eser, Izmir & Hacettepe University; Barbara Silverman, Israel National Cancer Center; Omar Nimri, National Cancer Registry of Jordan; Pavlos Pavlou, Cyprus Cancer Registry; Haris Charalambous, Cyprus Cancer Registry; Anna Demetriou, Cyprus Cancer Registry; Kevin Ward, Emory University; Argyrios Ziogas, University of California Irvine
• Journal Title: Cancer Epidemiology
• Volume: Volume 44
• Publisher: Elsevier Science Ltd. | 2016-10-01, Pages 195-202
• Type of Work: Article | Post-print: After Peer Review
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2016.06.004
• Keywords: Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Oncology; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Population-based cancer registries; Middle East; SEER; Cancer burden; Cancer risk; Tobacco smoking

Abstract

It is important that population-based cancer registries provide accurate and reliable data for public health purposes. These data are essential data for planning of cancer control and prevention. In this study, we examined cancer incidence rates (year 2005–2010) in four MECC registries (Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Izmir (Turkey)) and compared with the rates in the US. The overall age-standardized incidence rates for males were highest in the US followed by Israeli Jews, Izmir (Turkey), Cyprus, Israeli Arabs, and lowest in Jordan. In women the rates of cancer of all sites were also highest in US women followed by Israeli Jews, Cyprus, Israeli Arabs, Izmir (Turkey), and lowest in Jordan. It is of interest that although site-specific cancer rates differ between the countries studied, prostate, lung and colorectal cancers are within the five most common cancers males in all countries studied. In females, breast colorectal and endometrium cancers are three of the five most common cancers in females in all countries studied. The results presented in this paper can have implications for opportunities in cancer control and prevention in these countries. Future studies on individual cancer sites with highest rates in these Countries are currently underway.