Muscat – Figures released by the Ministry of Health (MoH) on Tuesday indicate 2,510 cancer cases were recorded in the sultanate in 2021, compared to 2,307 in 2019, representing an 8.8% increase.
The increase underscores the growing importance of early detection programmes, enhanced health awareness, and the continued development of diagnostic and treatment services across the sultanate.
According to the data, 2,318 cases were reported among Omanis, compared to 163 cases among non-Omanis, in addition to 29 cases classified as latent cancers. The average age at diagnosis was 47 years for females and 58 years for males, highlighting the need to expand periodic screening programmes to younger age groups.
Based on standardised incidence rates per 100,000 population, Oman recorded 122.2 cases, with 129.4 among females and 117.2 among males.
Breast cancer was the most common type among females, with 393 cases, followed by thyroid cancer (196), colorectal cancer (93), lymphoma (66) and brain cancer (64). Among males, colorectal cancer topped the list with 121 cases, followed by Hodgkin’s lymphoma (79), prostate cancer (77), thyroid cancer (66) and leukaemia (65).
The data indicated 155 cancer cases among children under the age of 14, underscoring the importance of improving paediatric oncology services and providing psychosocial support for affected families.
According to MoH, these indicators form a key basis for shaping national health policies, expanding prevention and early detection initiatives, and improving the quality of cancer care with the aim of reducing incidence and mortality rates while enhancing quality of life in the sultanate.
