The Increasing Importance of Breast Cancer in the United Arab Emirates

Breast cancer is a ubiquitous health problem in the world, and recent studies point toward an increase in breast cancer incidence in the Middle East. The prevalence of breast cancer in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has evidently increased dramatically throughout the decades, making breast cancer one of the most prevalent types of cancer. In addition, breast cancer is alarmingly being diagnosed at an earlier age, almost a decade younger in the UAE compared to Western regions. Several causative risk factors may be attributed to this increase, such as obesity caused by a developing sedentary lifestyle and consuming a high-caloric diet, genetic factors, and other relevant issues, including limited knowledge and awareness regarding breast cancer, low participation levels in breast cancer examinations, and lack of medical insurance coverage. Herein, we discuss the incidence of breast cancer, screening, risk factors, treatment, and cancer registry in the UAE. We also deliberate current advances in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in the UAE, as well as relate breast cancer in the UAE with other Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Oman. Future clinical trials with a focus on the local population are encouraged, along with the establishment of a clinical trials unit that has a focus on cancer and breast cancer in particular, within the region.