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. 2024 Jan-Dec:31:10732748241236266.
doi: 10.1177/10732748241236266.

Epidemiology of Breast, Corpus Uteri, and Ovarian Cancers in Lebanon With Emphasis on Breast Cancer Incidence Trends and Risk Factors Compared to Regional and Global Rates

Najla A Lakkis  1 , Reem M Abdallah  2 , Umayya M Musharrafieh  1 , Hanane G Issa  3 , Mona H Osman  1
Affiliations

Epidemiology of Breast, Corpus Uteri, and Ovarian Cancers in Lebanon With Emphasis on Breast Cancer Incidence Trends and Risk Factors Compared to Regional and Global Rates

Najla A Lakkis et al. Cancer Control. 2024 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: This study explores the incidence and trends of breast (Bca), corpus uteri (CUca), and ovarian (Oca) cancer in Lebanon, a Middle Eastern country. It compares the Bca rates to regional and global ones and discusses Bca risk factors in Lebanon.

Introduction: Globally, Bca is the premier cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in women.

Methods: Data on female Bca, CUca, and Oca published by the Lebanese national cancer registry were obtained (ie, for the years of 2005 to 2016). The age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRw) and age-specific rates per 100,000 female population were computed.

Results: From 2005 to 2016, Bca, Oca, and CUca ranked first, sixth, and seventh, respectively, for cancer incidence among women in Lebanon. Bca alone accounted for 39.4% of all new female cancer cases. The ASIRw increased significantly for Bca and CUca (APC: 3.60 and 3.73, P < .05) but not for Oca (APC: 1.27, P > .05). The Bca ASIRw (per 100,000) increased significantly from 71.0 in 2005 to 115.6 in 2013 (P < .05), then decreased steadily but non-significantly to reach 96.8 in 2016 (P > .05). Lebanon's Bca ASIRw is comparable to developed countries. This may reflect altered sociological and reproductive patterns as the country transitions from regional to global trends. The five-year age-specific rates analysis revealed that Bca rates rose steeply from 35-39 to 50-54, dropped slightly between 55 and 64, then rose till 75+. The five-year age-specific rates between 35 and 54 among Lebanese women were amongst the highest worldwide from 2008 to 2012, even higher than the rates in Belgium, which had the highest ASIRw of Bca worldwide in 2020.

Conclusion: Lebanon's Bca ASIRw is among the highest globally. It's important to investigate the contributing factors and develop a national Bca control strategy. This study supports the national recommendation in initiating Bca screening at age 40 for women.

Keywords: breast cancer; early detection; epidemiology; incidence; prevention; risk-factors; screening.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Projected Age-Standardized incidence rates per 100,000 (ASRw) of Breast cancer by regions based on Globocan 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2020.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (World Population) per 100,000 Females for Breast, Corpus Uteri and Ovary Cancers in Lebanon for the Years 2005-2016 Model: 0 JoinPoints.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (World Population) per 100,000 Females for Breast, Corpus Uteri and Ovary Cancers in Lebanon for the Years 2005-2016 Final selected model: 1 JoinPoints.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Age-specific incidence rates (per 100,000 Females) for breast, Corpus Uteri and Ovary Cancers in Lebanon 2005-2016.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Projected Age-Standardized incidence rates (World Population) per 100,000 of Breast, Corpus Uteri and Ovary Cancers in MENA Countries-Globocan 2020 (Reference 1).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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