Prostate Cancer Diagnostic and Evaluation in Gaza-Strip, Palestine

Abstract

Prostate cancer has the third highest cancer incidence in Palestinian men with incidence rate about 4.5/100,000, and an increase in new cases by 50% between 2000 and 2015. Prostate cancer death rates have been obviously decreased in many countries due to treatment, precise screening. The current study aims to review and evaluate the new diagnosed prostate cancer in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. As a cross-sectional, quantitative and analytical approach based on structured review, the current study was conducted at Al-Shifa and European hospitals (main oncology departments in governmental hospitals). Interviews with newly diagnosed cancer prostate patients were carried out during the period of March and June, 2014; a total of 41 newly diagnosed with primary cancer prostate. Furthermore, demographic, health status, medical investigations and tests are reported from oncologists and hospital archives over the last five years (2010-2014). The current study showed that there were 41 new prostate cancer cases in three months with incidence rate 5.1 per 100,000. The highest rate of incidence was among the patients above age of 70+, 70 - 74 (29.3%). The results showed that 58.1% of the patients were smokers, and 22.6% used to smoke, while 16.1% responded they don’t smoke at all. The most common type of treatment used by participants was chemotherapy therapy followed by hormonal therapy and prostatectomy. The least common methods used for treatment were radiation therapy and combination of hormonal, radiation, and chemotherapy as only 5 participants used each type of these treatment options. The prevalence of prostate cancer was higher among men who lived in Gaza Governorate compared to other governorates. Limited use of radiation therapy was due to the unavailability of this treatment in Gaza Strip.