The Current and Future Burden of Metabolic Dysfunction-related Cancers in Arab Countries, 2022-2050.

Abstract

Objectives: The burden of cancers related to metabolic dysfunction in the Arab countries is not well defined. This study aimed to summarize the latest estimates for 10 cancers associated with metabolic dysfunction in the region and provide future projections to inform cancer control policies.

Methods: We extracted estimates of new cancer cases and deaths for colon, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, breast, corpus uteri, ovarian, kidney, thyroid, and multiple myeloma cancers from the GLOBOCAN database for the year 2022. We present age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) and age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) for 2022 alongside projections for 2050.

Results: In 2022, the 22 member countries of the Arab League reported a total of 502 959 new cancer cases. Of these, 218 746 (43.9%) cases were attributed to metabolic dysfunction. Breast cancer was the most commonly diagnosed, accounting for 43.7% of metabolic dysfunction-related cases, followed by liver cancer (16.8%) and colon cancer (10.4%). Projections indicate significant increases in incidence by 2050 for all studied cancers in the Arab region, with the largest relative increases expected in Gulf Cooperation Council countries, especially Kuwait, the UAE, and Qatar.

Conclusions: Cancers related to metabolic dysfunction account for nearly half of the cancer burden in Arab countries, with marked regional differences. The projected rise in incidence and mortality by 2050 highlights the need for comprehensive, multisectoral cancer control policies implemented at the regional level and tailored to the cancer profiles of individual countries.