Epidemiological Trends in Childhood Cancer in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The incidence of new childhood cancer cases is 15.3 per 100,000 per year, or nearly 1 in 6,500 children and adolescents under the age of 20, notwithstanding the rarity of the disease. The largest nation in the Gulf is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.The provision of the best healthcare is hampered by a young population with longer life expectancies, a recognised rising cancer burden both locally and globally.Similar to other developing nations, the incidence of cancer has increased over time in KSA, which may be attributable to advancements in medical technology, diagnostic methods, and an efficient system for referring patients for additional testing and treatment to well-known tertiary hospitals and oncology-specific treatment facilities in the major cities.The study seeks to provide an overview of recent developments on the incidence of paediatric cancer in Saudi Arabia. As the most common form of paediatric cancer in KSA, leukaemia requires an immediate diagnosis in order to develop a treatment plan that will have the greatest therapeutic benefit and the fewest adverse effects. There are further cancers with lesser prevalence rates, such as lymphoma, kidney, bone, and brain tumours.