Global Cancer Incidence and Etiology: Drivers, Disparities, and Prevention Insights from the Arab Region with Libya as a Case Study

Abstract

The continuous escalation in the number of cases of cancer across the globe represents a complicated public health problem as a result of the combined impact of demographic shifts, behavior changes, environmental contamination, and socioeconomic inequalities. Such an increase does not merely result from enhanced diagnostic techniques but represents a true increase in cancer risk in populations. The problem is compounded by the differential impacts observed between low- and middle-income countries, including those in the Arab region, as a consequence of intersecting factors and underdeveloped health infrastructure. The purpose of this review is to discuss the multiple causative factors behind the increasing burden of cancer on a global scale, analyze the unique situation in the Arab region in terms of cancer epidemiology and prevention, evaluate current and prospective prevention options, and identify success factors for community-based interventions.