Cancer epidemiology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2024

Background:
Cancer represents a significant and evolving public health challenge in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a nation undergoing rapid socioeconomic and epidemiological transitions. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of cancer incidence for the year 2024 based on data from the national population-based Saudi Cancer Registry.


Methods:

We conducted a descriptive epidemiological analysis of data from the 2024 Saudi Cancer Incidence Report. Data on all newly diagnosed cancer cases among Saudi nationals, including
in situ
tumors, were extracted and analyzed. Crude incidence rates (CIRs) and age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) per 100,000 population were calculated using the direct method, with the World Standard Population as the reference. The distribution of cancer cases by age, sex, and major cancer sites was examined, with a detailed analysis of the most common solid and hematological malignancies, including histological subtypes and stage at diagnosis.



Results:

In 2024, a total of 22,473 new cancer cases were diagnosed among Saudi nationals, with a higher incidence in females (13,206 cases, 58.8%) than in males (9267 cases, 41.2%). The overall ASR was 181.8 per 100,000 for females and 141.2 per 100,000 for males. The most common cancer was breast cancer (20.8%). The ASR for Saudi females was 63.3, the median age at diagnosis was 53 years, and 60.7% were diagnosed at localized or
in situ
stages. Colorectal cancer ranked second and accounted for 13.1% of all cancers, with an ASR of 26.4 for males and 19.1 for females, and a male-to-female ratio of approximately 123 to 100. The median age at diagnosis was 61 years for males and 58 years for females, and 52.9% were diagnosed at localized stages. Thyroid cancer was the third most common cancer in Saudi Arabia (9.1%) of all newly diagnosed cancers. Females accounted for 76.1% of cases, while males accounted for 23.9% of cases, resulting in a male-to-female ratio of approximately 31 to 100. The median age at diagnosis was 43 years for females and 45 years for males. Most cases were identified at the localized stage (74%), and the ASR was 18.3 for females and 6.2 for males. Hematological malignancies constituted 12.2% of cancer cases, with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and leukemia ranking as the fourth and sixth most common cancers, respectively. NHL had an ASR of 8.9 in males and 6.7 in females, with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma as the predominant subtype (50%). Leukemia had an ASR of 6.7 in males and 5.1 in females, with a bimodal age distribution. Corpus uteri cancer accounted for 7.3% of all cancers diagnosed in Saudi Arabia (ASR; 15.5). The median age at diagnosis was 62 years, and the majority of cases (73.8%) were diagnosed at a localized stage.



Conclusion:
The cancer burden in Saudi Arabia is characterized by a high and rising incidence of lifestyle-associated solid tumors, alongside a significant burden of hematological malignancies with unique regional features. The observation of a low median age at diagnosis for key cancers warrants further investigation into age-specific incidence rates, which has potential implications for screening and clinical management. These findings underscore the urgent need for tailored prevention, early detection, and treatment strategies. Continued surveillance through the Saudi Cancer Registry is important for monitoring trends and guiding evidence-based public health policies.