Cancer Research in the Arab World

Hamadeh, Randah R; Jahrami, Haitham; Nazzal, Khaled

doi:10.1007/978-981-16-7945-2_25

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Armed conflicts and insurgencies have severely undermined the research capabilities of several MENA countries. Ranging from chronic underfinancing and poor infrastructure to deficient research culture ( 15 , 18 , 27 ), the challenges health researchers face in fragile and conflict-affected settings are numerous ( 11 , 28 ). Aiming to identify opportunities for improvement, our study aimed to map out published cancer research and highlight the characteristics of published research across 6 countries affected by conflict in the MENA region.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the challenges mentioned above, the MENA region has been actively contributing to cancer research over the past two decades ( 15 – 18 ). However, and to the best of our knowledge, studies using bibliometric methods to analyze the knowledge output and trends of research on cancer in Fragile and Conflict-Affected Settings (FCS) in the MENA region are limited.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The state of cancer research in fragile and conflict-affected settings in the Middle East and North Africa Region: A bibliometric analysis

et al. 2023

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BackgroundCancer represents a disproportionate burden in LMICs, especially conflict-affected countries in the MENA region. Research output on cancer fails to match the growing burden in the region. This bibliometric study aims to examine the status and trends of cancer research in fragile and conflict-affected settings in the MENA region from 2000 to 2021, while also incorporating economic and demographic indicators as additional factors of analysis.MethodsThe Web of Science databases were searched for publications related to cancer research in Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2021. The retrieved publications were screened based on preset eligibility criteria and the final list was analyzed using the Bibliometrix Package in R to generate the annual scientific production and citations, journals, institutions, authors, collaborations, keywords, and title co-occurrence. Each country’s annual scientific production was analyzed against its annual GDP per capita.ResultsA total of 4,280 documents met the inclusion criteria in this research. The annual number of publications revealed a significant increase over the past 20 years. These publications were mostly published in international journals that had impact factors rated in the 3rd or 4th quartiles. The overall contribution of researchers from Fragile and Conflict-Affected Settings (FCS) to cancer research was 6.5% of the MENA cancer research productivity, despite comprising around 23% of the total MENA region’s population. Lebanon had the highest publication productivity at the country level, followed by Iraq and Syria. GDP per capita was not significantly correlated with cancer research across the countries under investigation. At the institutional level, the American University of Beirut was the most prolific institution and had the highest number of collaborations and the widest range of cooperative partners. Most first authors were male researchers. There is an interest in cancer expression, prevalence, diagnosis, and management in terms of commonly researched topics.ConclusionThis study underscores the need for a concerted effort to improve cancer research outcomes in FCS, which can be achieved through targeted research, increased investment in research infrastructure and capacity-building initiatives, and greater regional and global collaboration.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The state of cancer research in fragile and conflict-affected settings in the Middle East and North Africa Region: A bibliometric analysis

et al. 2023

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“…These countries are plagued with recurrent conflicts, and political and economic instability, which also translates into low investment and prioritization around research and development (5). Comparably, the total number of publications on GU cancer in the Arab region is considerably lower than in the US and Europe, which mirrors the broader trend in cancer research (9).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is alarming, given that the cancer burden is increasing worldwide, particularly in the Arab region, despite the advancement in treatment and diagnosis (8). The contribution of Arab countries and institutions to cancer research is quite limited (9,10). For example, a geographically and temporally limited study highlighted that cancer research productivity in Arab countries is lower than in the United States (US), Europe, and Japan, mainly due to the limited number of researchers, and lack of funding, networking, and research support (11).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genitourinary cancers in the Arab world: A bibliometric study

Ibrahim

Farhat²,

Baalbaki³

et al. 2022

Front. Urol.

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BackgroundThe genitourinary cancer burden in the Arab region is rising at an increasing pace. The main objective of this study was to conduct a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications on genitourinary cancer to understand the growth, impact, trends, and flow of knowledge within GU cancer research in 22 Arab countries.MethodsThe Web of Science databases were searched for publications related to genitourinary cancer research in the 22 Arab countries from January 1, 2002, till December 31, 2021. The scientific research was evaluated based on productivity (number of published documents, authorships), impact (citation counts and journals impact factor), collaborations, and areas of interest for published papers.ResultsA total of 3,129 papers met the inclusion criteria in this research. After adjusting for the population power, Qatar (53.57) and Lebanon (46.83), Saudi Arabia (46.21), Jordan (41.58), and Tunisia (40.72) had the highest research productivity. The number of articles and average citations per year was generally increasing. Most Arab corresponding authors were from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia, and most Arab first authors were male researchers, highlighting gender inequality in genitourinary cancer research. Both regional and international collaborations are weak between authors in the field.ConclusionThis bibliometric research provided a framework for visual and quantitative research productivity on GU can in the Arab world. Research output is low in some countries, which can be improved by investing in more international and national collaborative research projects in the field of GU cancer.

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“…However, the lack of trust in research capabilities in developing countries and the exclusion of researchers from those countries from research networks is another significant barrier. The lack of support for publications from developing countries in reputable journals is also a primary challenge [ 23 ]. The global community should continue to support and create mentorship programs and initiatives to support new research programs in the UAE and other countries ( Figure 2 ).…”

Section: Global Oncology Community Barriersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers and Facilitators to Conducting Oncology Clinical Trials in the UAE

Al-Shamsi

2022

Clinics and Practice

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Cancer research and clinical trials are essential to improve cancer patients’ outcomes and advance the oncology field. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been lagging in cancer research with many barriers, including healthcare, institutional, regulatory, patient and community, the global oncology community, and the pharmaceutical industry. In this report, we try to address these challenges from our perspective. Making clinical trials accessible for cancer patients in the UAE requires a collaborative approach from all stakeholders and serious consideration for the greater cause to improve the patient’s outcome and contribute to the advancement of the cancer field worldwide. There has been significant support from the UAE government and the regulators in the UAE to facilitate and encourage research in general and cancer research in particular with recent initiatives and international collaborations. Private and public institutions must overcome their competitive moods and work together to strengthen the research network across the UAE and improve accrual for potential clinical trials. Public awareness and education must overcome long-standing perceptions about research and clinical trials in the UAE. The pharmaceutical industry must work closely with institutions across the UAE and support them in establishing accredited research programs and clinical trial units. The Emirates Oncology Society is establishing the Oncology Research Working Group to advocate and advance cancer research in the UAE. All stakeholders must be engaged to successfully implement impactful clinical trials in the UAE and the region.

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Cancer Research in the Arab World

Cited by 7 publications

References 41 publications

The state of cancer research in fragile and conflict-affected settings in the Middle East and North Africa Region: A bibliometric analysis

The state of cancer research in fragile and conflict-affected settings in the Middle East and North Africa Region: A bibliometric analysis

Genitourinary cancers in the Arab world: A bibliometric study

Barriers and Facilitators to Conducting Oncology Clinical Trials in the UAE

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