Abstract

Cancer, the leading cause of death worldwide, is emerging as a major public health challenge of  this era ⁽¹⁾. Currently there are over 50 million people living with cancer all over the world with an estimated 10 million dying annually from                the disease; nearly 70% are from developing countries ⁽²⁾. Cancer incidence and mortality rates will continue to rise owing to demographic changes associated with population growth and aging ^(3); the highest are likely to be registered in  low- and middle-income communities for reasons attributed to lifestyle modification, urbanization, exposure to carcinogens and limited resources for diagnosis and treatment ⁽⁴⁾. The financial, physical and emotional strains on cancer patients and their families yield a considerable economic impact specifically when the disparities in access to care within the weak health systems lead to advanced stages at cancer presentations, prolonged disability and premature deaths ⁽⁵⁾. According to the latest global cancer statistics (1,2), breast cancer is               the most prevalent malignancy worldwide (11.7%), surpassing lung cancer (11.4%) and followed by colorectal (10%), prostate (7.3%) and stomach cancers (5.6%). On the other hand, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality (18%), followed by colorectal (9.4%), liver (8.3%) stomach (7.7%) and breast cancers (6.9%).