Amr G Mousa1, Mai K Bishr2, Layth Mula-Hussain3, Mohamed S Zaghloul4. 1. Radiation Oncology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt; Radiation Oncology Section, Cancer Center, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 2. Clinical Oncology Department, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. 3. Cross Cancer Institute - Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. 4. Radiation Oncology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt; Radiation Oncology Department, Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE) 57357, Egypt. Electronic address: mszagh@yahoo.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Arab countries share a common location, history, language and culture with different economic characteristics. In this study, we analyze the availability and factors influencing radiotherapy services and cancer mortality incidence ratio (MIR) in Arabic countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from GLOBOCAN report, World Health Organization, World Bank, United Nation and Directory of Radiotherapy Centre databases. RESULTS: The average number of megavoltage machines (MVM) in Arab countries is 0.84 machine per 1000 cancer patients. The number of MVM per 1000 cancer patients was found to be significantly correlated with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (r = 0.583, P = 0.006). In addition, it was found to be significantly more in politically stable countries compared to unstable ones (P = 0.004) and more in high and upper-middle income countries (median 0.94 ± 1.0) compared to lower-middle and low income countries (median 0.3 ± 0.51) (P = 0.013). MIR was found to be significantly correlated with GDP per capita, physicians per 1000 population, MVM per 1000 cancer patients and absolute MVM deficit (r = -0.555, -0.625, -0.42, -0.436 and P = 0.009, 0.006, 0.047, 0.043, respectively). On multivariate regression analysis, the number of physicians per 1000 population had the strongest prediction of MIR in Arabic countries (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Although the economic status is of paramount importance, it is not the only factor determining the quantity and quality of radiotherapy services in the Arab world. More efforts are urgently needed to improve the status of radiation oncology and fill its gap in the Arab countries.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Arab countries share a common location, history, language and culture with different economic characteristics. In this study, we analyze the availability and factors influencing radiotherapy services and cancer mortality incidence ratio (MIR) in Arabic countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from GLOBOCAN report, World Health Organization, World Bank, United Nation and Directory of Radiotherapy Centre databases. RESULTS: The average number of megavoltage machines (MVM) in Arab countries is 0.84 machine per 1000 cancerpatients. The number of MVM per 1000 cancerpatients was found to be significantly correlated with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (r = 0.583, P = 0.006). In addition, it was found to be significantly more in politically stable countries compared to unstable ones (P = 0.004) and more in high and upper-middle income countries (median 0.94 ± 1.0) compared to lower-middle and low income countries (median 0.3 ± 0.51) (P = 0.013). MIR was found to be significantly correlated with GDP per capita, physicians per 1000 population, MVM per 1000 cancerpatients and absolute MVM deficit (r = -0.555, -0.625, -0.42, -0.436 and P = 0.009, 0.006, 0.047, 0.043, respectively). On multivariate regression analysis, the number of physicians per 1000 population had the strongest prediction of MIR in Arabic countries (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Although the economic status is of paramount importance, it is not the only factor determining the quantity and quality of radiotherapy services in the Arab world. More efforts are urgently needed to improve the status of radiation oncology and fill its gap in the Arab countries.
Authors: Hala Mahdi; Layth Mula-Hussain; Zhian S Ramzi; Marwan Tolba; Omar Abdel-Rahman; Ibrahim Abu-Gheida; Ola Khorshid; Sana Al Sukhun; Nadeem P Siddiqi; Zahid Al Mandhari; Maysa Al Hussaini Journal: JCO Glob Oncol Date: 2022-03