"Smoking alone causes about 30 percent of cancer cases in the Kingdom," said professor Ezzeldin Ibrahim, senior oncology consultant and director of the Oncology Center of Excellence at International Medical Center (IMC) in Jeddah.
An improvement in life expectancy from 50 in 1950s to 70 plus today means a substantial increase in the number of elderly people in the country, he said. "Aging is one of the common risk factors for any type of cancer," he pointed out.
According to Ibrahim, obesity, unhealthy diet and lack of exercise together cause 40 percent of cancers in the Kingdom.
The official registry has put the annual increase in cancer cases at 8,000 to 9,000 but Ibrahim believes that the actual number is much higher. "It is around 15,000 based on the structure of population, available data and similar figures from neighboring countries," he said, adding that the difference between the two figures is due to underreporting.
Ibrahim disclosed IMC's plan to hold an international oncology conference in Jeddah in February. He said the conference, “Oncology Update 2012,” would focus on two major issues: individualization of patient care and targeted therapy.
"All cancer patients cannot be treated in the same way, even those with the same diagnosis and in the same stage, because the characteristics of tumors differ from one patient to another, and that is the reason some patients do respond to treatment while others do not," he said while explaining the importance of individualization of patient care.
Ibrahim noted remarkable progress in the Kingdom's cancer care, in terms of availability, improvement in patient accessibility, drugs, diagnostic tools and updated data. "If we have correct and adequate data we can plan better," he added.
Cancer research in the Kingdom has also witnessed progress. Ibrahim himself has conducted a research on future cancer burden on the Kingdom in order to find out the expected number of patients in 20 or 30 years, the types of cancer, their implications in terms of training manpower and establishment of well-equipped hospitals to address the situation.
Ibrahim said early detection of the disease would not only raise the curability rate but also reduce the cost of treatment. He commended the role of charitable societies in supporting cancer patients and urged them to consolidate their efforts to achieve a greater impact. Although new oncology centers are coming up in Makkah, Jeddah and Riyadh, he said more such centers are needed in various parts of the country.
Speaking about preventive oncology, he said it should start from school age to promote a healthy lifestyle. “Parents should serve as role models for children in this matter. We need to show the community the proper data and the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle, not only to prevent cancer but also other conditions, such as heart diseases, strokes, arthritis and diabetes.”
Ibrahim also called for a nationwide screening program for early detection of the disease.
