Prostate Cancer in Lebanon: Incidence, Temporal Trends, and Comparison to Countries From Different Regions in the World

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men globally. This study aims at investigating the incidence rates and trends of prostate cancer in Lebanon, and to compare them to those of countries from different regions in the world. METHODS: Data on prostate cancer were obtained from the Lebanese national cancer registry for the years 2005 to 2016. The calculated age-standardized incidence and age-specific rates were expressed as per 100 000 population. RESULTS: In Lebanon, prostate cancer is ranked as the most common cancer in men. The age-standardized incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased from 29.1 per 100 000 in 2005 to 37.3 per 100 000 in 2016; the highest rate was in 2012, surpassing the global average incidence rate for that year. The age-specific incidence rate of prostate cancer has increased exponentially starting at the age of 50 years to reach its peak in men aged 75 years or more. Two trends were identified in the age-standardized incidence rate of prostate cancer; an average significant increase of 7.28% per year for the period 2005–2009 (P-value < .05), followed by a non-significant decrease of around .99% for the period between 2009 and 2016 (P-value > .05). The age-standardized incidence rate in Lebanon was higher than most countries in the Middle East and North Africa region and Asia, but lower than the rates reported in Australia, America, and different European countries. CONCLUSION: Prostate cancer is the leading cancer among men in Lebanon. Screening practices, changes in population age structure, and prevalence of genetic and risky lifestyle factors may explain the increased incidence rates of prostate cancer. Given the controversy of screening recommendations and the slow growing nature of prostate cancer, increasing public awareness on ways of prevention, and implementing the latest screening recommendation of the United States Preventive Services Task Force are the suggested way forward.