Colorectal Cancer in the UAE

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequently occurring cancers in Arabs, with a dramatically increasing annual incidence rate. As a result, the UAE’s cancer burden is rising, with CRC being the most common cancer in men and the third most common cancer in women after breast and thyroid cancer, and the third most common cancer in both men and women. CRC screening needs to get more systematic in the UAE with proper call and recall as the current uptake here remains low and suboptimal. Many factors contribute to this low uptake, and it must be addressed if the incidence of CRC and other cancers is to be reduced. CRC preventive initiatives should be implemented in the UAE, with all infrastructure and resources geared toward providing comprehensive cancer care at all stages of the disease. The UAE scientific community must conduct studies on the cost-effectiveness of high-risk populations or nationwide screening alternatives in order to address the country’s CRC burden.