This retrospective study was performed at the Al-Ain Hospital, Al-Ain,
in the United Arab Emirates. The objective of the study was to determ
ine the common types of cancer in Al-Ain, and involved 612 cancer pati
ents diagnosed and treated between 1981 and 1995 at the Al-Ain Hospita
l, which is the main referral teaching hospital in the Al-Ain Medical
District. We analyzed the admissions of cancer patients to the hospita
l during this period, categorizing their age, nationality group and ty
pe of cancer. About 37% of the 612 patients were UAE and Omani citizen
s, followed by 35.5% who were of Asian origin. The male to female rati
o was 3:2. The median age for males was 43 years and for females was 4
5 years. The most common male malignancy was gastric carcinoma (17.6%)
, followed by lymphoma (16.8%), colorectal cancer (14.9%), and skin ca
ncer (14.5%). In females, the most common cancer was of the breast (31
.6%), followed by cervix (27%), thyroid (8.3%), and colorectum (7.9%).
The frequency of lymphoma, stomach, skin, lung, liver and esophageal
cancer was higher in males than in females. Conversely, thyroid cancer
was more common in females than males. The frequency of cervical and
gastric cancers was significantly higher in the UAE and Omani citizens
than in the others. We hope that this valuable information will help
in the identification of possible risk factors that will help in plans
for early cancer detection.