Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Bahrain has the highest rate of lung cancer in the Gulf, while Saudi Arabia has the lowest, according to a speaker at a recent lung cancer conference in the Kingdom. Turki Al-Fayea, consultant in internal medicine and adult medical oncology at Princess Noura Oncology Center, said recent research showed that in the Kingdom, lung cancer is the fifth most common cancer among males and the 13th most common cancer among females. Al-Fayea said smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, as it accounts for 83 percent of lung cancers. He said the number of men suffering from lung cancer is higher than women in the Kingdom. In 2010 there were around 300 males with lung cancer against 105 women patients. However, in recent years the number of women suffering from lung cancer is increasing as more women take up smoking. Al-Fayea said a persistent cough, chest pain and an unjustified weight loss are some of the indicators that the person could be suffering with lung cancer. The conference, which was organized by Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, in collaboration with the Saudi Cancer Foundation as well as the Saudi Oncology Society, took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Jeddah. Oncologists discussed the condition of lung cancer in the Gulf region, it causes and the second generation of lung cancer treatment to improve patient outcomes. They also discussed the two types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Around 85 percent of lung cancers in the world are NSCLC, which can also be divided into three types. Increasing tobacco prices was discussed as one of the solutions to reduce rates of lung cancer, in combination with awareness campaigns about the risks of smoking. Oncologists stressed the importance of early detection and diagnosis, as most cases are discovered in late stages.
