Association of reproductive factors with the incidence of breast cancer in Gulf Cooperation Council countries

ABSTRACT

This article presents the incidence of female breast cancer in the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] countries and reviews the data in relation to established reproductive factors. Overall 4480 female breast cancer cases were diagnosed during 1998-2002 among GCC country nationals. Breast cancer was the most common malignancy in all GCC countries, ranging from 16.1% of female cancers in Oman to 35.4% in Bahrain. The age-standardized incidence rate per 100 000 was highest in Bahrain [46.4], followed by Kuwait [44.3], Qatar [35.5], United Arab Emirates [19.2], Oman [14.4] and Saudi Arabia [12.9]. These rates are low compared with most industrialized countries