Genito-urinary cancer in Saudi Arabia

The incidence of Genito-urinary cancer (GUC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) increases with age and is 5-fold higher in men than in women. Genito-urinary cancer accounts for only 9.2% of all cancers in KSA, while the rate in the United States of America (USA) is as high as 24.1%. An epidemiological search on GUC in KSA revealed a relatively low incidence compared to developed countries. This is more evident in prostatic cancer, which is 50 times lower than in the USA. The most common GUC in KSA is bladder, followed by the prostate, kidney, and testicular cancer. Penile cancer is extremely rare. Genito-urinary cancer is not among the 10 most common cancer in KSA, however, bladder cancer ranking tenth. Reviewing the National Cancer Registry data in addition to the available literature on GUC in KSA for the past 50-years showed the changing pattern of this disease over time.