Data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah revealed an increase in the number of newly reported cancer cases of all types in the West Bank.
In a press release issued Wednesday, coinciding with World Cancer Day, the Ministry stated that 3,926 new cases were recorded in 2024, with an incidence rate of 130 per 100,000 population, compared to 3,590 cases in 2023. The Ministry added that 1,969 of the new cases were among males, representing 50.2% of all new cancer cases, while 1,957 cases were among females, representing 49.8% of the total cases in the West Bank in 2024. The Ministry noted that the incidence of cancer increases with age due to the cumulative risk associated with certain types of cancer. In the West Bank, 1,296 cancer cases were recorded in the over-64 age group, representing 33% of all cases registered in 2024. This age group constitutes only 4% of the total population of the West Bank. An additional 149 cases, or 3.8% of the total, were recorded in the under-15 age group, which represents 35% of the total population.
Although there are more than 200 types of cancer, five types account for 49% of new cancer cases registered in the West Bank: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung and bronchial cancer, thyroid cancer, and leukemia.
The Ministry of Health clarified that breast cancer remains the most common type of cancer in Palestine, with 584 new cases registered in the West Bank, representing an incidence rate of 19.5 cases per 100,000 population. Colorectal cancer came in second place with 554 cases and an incidence rate of 18.5 cases per 100,000 population. This was followed by lung and bronchial cancer with 316 cases and an incidence rate of 10.5 cases per 100,000 population.
