Colorectal Cancer in Lebanon: Incidence, Temporal Trends, and Comparison to Regional and Western Countries

Global trends in the incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer show a steady increase with significant predilection to western developed countries, possibly linking it to westernized lifestyles among other risk factors. This study aims to investigate the incidence and trends of colorectal cancer in Lebanon, a country in the Middle East and North Africa region, and to compare these rates to those in regional and western countries. Colorectal cancer incidence data were extracted from the Lebanese National Cancer Registry for the currently available years 2005 to 2016. The calculated age-standardized incidence rates and age-specific rates were expressed as per 100,000 population. The age-standardized incidence rates of colorectal cancer in Lebanon increased from 16.3 and 13.0 per 100,000 in 2005 to 23.2 and 20.2 per 100,000 in 2016, among males and females, respectively. The incidences were higher for males, and they increased with age. The annual percent change was +4.36% and +4.45%, in males and females respectively (p-value < 0.05). There was a non-statistically significant trend of decrease in recent years (since 2012 in males and since 2011 in females). The age-standardized incidence rates in Lebanon were higher than those in the majority of the regional countries, but lower than the rates in developed western countries. There were high age-specific incidence rates at age groups 40-44 and 45-49 years in Lebanon in both males and females (with significant rising temporal trend) compared to other countries, including the ones reported to have the highest colorectal cancer age-standardized incidence rate worldwide. Therefore, the burden of colorectal cancer is significant in Lebanon. This raises the necessity to develop national strategies tailored to reduce colorectal cancer incidence through promoting healthy lifestyles, raising awareness, and early detection as of 40 years of age.