Cancer in Lebanon: analysis of 10,220 cases from the American University of Beirut Medical Center

Cancers seen and recorded between 1983 and 1995 in the Hospital Tumor Registry at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), one of the largest primary and tertiary care hospitals in Lebanon, were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. There was a total of 10,220 cases, excluding 916 skin cancers other than skin melanoma, averaging 786 cases per year. There were 5086 cancer cases in males with the five most common cancers being: lung cancer (915 cases: 17.9%) followed by bladder cancer (503 cases: 9.8%), larynx (438 cases: 8.6%), lymphoma (393 cases: 7.7%) and leukemia (336 cases: 6.6%). As for female cancer cases, a total of 5134 cases were observed with the five most common cancers being: breast cancer (1821 cases), followed by cervical cancer (535 cases), colo-rectal cancer (256 cases: 4.9%), lymphoma (232 cases: 4.5%), and brain cancer (213 cases: 4.1%). The average age for all cancer cases was 50.5 years with a standard deviation (SD) of 18.8 years. The average age of females (48.8 yrs; SD 17.4) was relatively lower than that of males (52.2 yrs; SD 19.9) and the difference was statistically significant. 40.6% of the patients were under the age of 50 years. 49% of breast cancer patients were below 50 years of age. In children less than 15 years of age, there were 555 cases, with leukemia being the commonest (185 cases: 33.3% of childhood cases) followed by brain cancer (112 cases: 20.1%), lymphoma (63 cases: 11.3%), bone cancer (41 cases: 7.3%), soft tissue sarcoma (35 cases: 6.3%) and kidney cancer (28 cases: 5.0%). Lung cancer in males and breast cancer in females are the most common cancers in Lebanon. These cancers are amenable to prevention (cigarette cessation and anti-smoking campaigns for lung cancer) and early detection (screening, regular breast examination and mammography for breast cancer). Our paper emphasizes the importance of addressing those and other issues including bladder cancer and age at diagnosis of breast cancer. It also presents important epidemiological and historical reference data on cancer in Lebanon during the civil war and immediately after it.