Strengthening the early detection of common cancers in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) with an estimated 676 500 new cases and 419 000 cancer deaths in 2018. Population growth, ageing and the rise of risk factors may lead to double the incidence within the coming decades. Based on GLOBOCAN 2018 the most common cancers in the region are breast, colorectal, lung, liver and bladder cancer, closely followed by Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia. The most common cancers among men in the Region are lung (10.4%), liver (8.4%) and prostate cancer (8%), while the most common cancers among women are breast (34.7%), colorectal (5.7%) and cervical cancer (4.6%).