The most updated data available globally (2018) and that have been released by cancer registries show increasing trends for cancer incidence worldwide.
By 2030, the global cancer incidence is projected to increase to 24 million cases and is thought to be as a result of population growth and aging as well as economic and social developments that led to an increase in risk factors to developing cancer such as eating unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Cancer registries are the backbone of cancer prevention programs and the population-based registries collect data on each person with cancer in a defined population.
The National Cancer registry in Oman releases its data annually and the statistics of 2018 showed that the total number of tumours registered was 2,118. Of these 1,911 cancer cases were among Omanis, males accounted for 836 cases and females accounted for 1,075 cases.
The median age at diagnosis was 55 years.
This was higher in males, median age 59 years than females, median age 50 years. The incidence of cancer in the age group 49-20 years was 34,9 % of the total number of cases. There was an increase in the Age- Standardized incidence rate (ASR) to 112,4 per 100,000 population in 2018, compared to 105 per 100,000 population in 2015.
Overall, breast cancer in women was the most common cancer inthe Sultanate, followed by colorectal cancer and then thyroid cancer. The mean age at diagnosis was 48 years for breast cancer in women, 58 years for colorectal cancer and 37 years for thyroid cancer.
As 40% of cancer cases around the world could be prevented if the main risk factors that cause cancer, such as eating an unhealthy diet, tobacco use, physical inactivity and alcohol consumption, are eliminated.
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