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The Growing Burden of Cancer in Gaza Strip Is Insufferable: Facts and Figures - Up to Date Annual Incidence, Social Context and Available Treatment Option
22 Pages Posted: 18 Jun 2019
More...Abstract
Cancer is one of the devastating health burden globally, because of its high incidence rate, profound societal inequity, economic consequences, and high rate of mortality. In Palestine, cancer is the second underlying cause of death exceeded only by heart disease and it represents more than 13% of all deaths. Most cases diagnosed at end stage, which lead to difficulty in symptoms control, treatment option, decreasing quality of life and survival rates. Herein, we performed a case-control study in five Gaza Strip governorates, and we calculate the cancer annual incidence from 2011 to 2018 among 12 years and older individuals in Gaza Strip. In addition, we evaluate the social context and available cancer treatment options. We observed that the total number of new cases during the past eight years (2011-2018) was 12,359. The proportional distribution of cancers were calculated in the five Gaza Strip governorates: Gaza city = 44.2%; Khanyounis = 17%; Middle area = 13.3%; Rafah = 11.3%; and north Gaza 12.2%. The distribution of patients, showed the steady increase in cancer number significantly. At the beginning of our study in year 2011, the number of cancer cases was 1037 with an incidence rate of (65.2/100.000), reaching in late 2018 to 1941 cases with an incidence of (97.9/100.000). The proportional distribution of cancers by gender was as follow: females 55% and males 45%. Breast cancer is the most common type among females and Colorectal is the most common among males. Cancer mortality rate is very high in Gaza, indeed, during the period 2011 - 2015 a total number of 2942 patients died from cancer, with a rate of 34.54 per 100.000.
In conclusion, Gaza Strip lies within a catastrophic socio-political context, where cancer has risen dramatically during the latest decade, reaching levels that further challenge the financial and infrastructural resources of the already poor current health-care system; of which financial and political uncertainty exacerbate the problem. In addition, patients' suffering are compounded also by the permanent acute shortage of well-trained cancer specialists, lack of access to medical technology, modern medical equipment, almost absence of chemotherapy and no radiotherapy at all.
Funding Statement: The authors state: "No funding was received to perform this manuscript."
Declaration of Interests: The authors state that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Ethics Approval Statement: Our work received formal consent from the cancer institution center in Gaza "Bssmat Amal for cancer patients".
Keywords: Cancer incidence, Gaza Strip, Treatment options, Cancer Mortality
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