Thyroid cancer takes second spot in cancer prevalence among women

This news has been read 609 times!

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 13: Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Federation for Cancer Control, highlighted that thyroid cancer disproportionately affects women, securing the second position in cancer prevalence among women in Kuwait after breast cancer. During a press statement at the “Thyroid Cancer and its Relationship to Environmental Pollution” workshop, organized by the Gulf Union for Cancer Control secretariat, Dr. Al-Saleh shared alarming statistics.

Between 2014 and 2019, Kuwait recorded 587 cases of thyroid cancer among Kuwaiti women and 455 cases among non-Kuwaiti women. Among men, there were 115 cases among Kuwaitis and 158 cases among non-Kuwaitis. Dr. Al-Saleh emphasized that the incidence of thyroid cancer in the Arab world is 6.2 per 100,000 for men and 13.2 for women, which is comparatively lower than the global rate of 6.5 for men and 14.2 for women. Remarkably, Kuwait reports rates of 1.2 for men and 6.6 for women, marking the lowest figures among Gulf countries. He underscored the diverse factors influencing cancer rates, with environmental pollution being a significant contributor. The workshop aimed to raise awareness about the imperative need to prevent environmental pollution, considering its potential impact on thyroid cancer rates and overall public health.

By Marwa Al-Bahrawi
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

This news has been read 609 times!