The most common cancer among Arab men affects the lungs and is caused by smoking.
The Centre for Arab Genomic Studies, a leading platform for research and education on genetic issues in the region, has revealed that cancer is the third-leading cause of deaths in the UAE.
Breast cancer and thyroid cancers are the most common cancers found among women in the region. "Due to social customs women do not present themselves for regular medical examination and this usually leads in late diagnosis," the center said.
Cancer specialists in the UAE have also warned that there is a very low awareness about the dangers of smoking, including the shisha.
Doctors estimate that sixty per cent of lung cancer patients in the UAE are smokers and most of these cases are detected at a very late stage.
The centre which is affiliated to the Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, noted that there are 55 kinds of cancer among Arab people.
World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted that sedentary lifestyle and the increasing trend of eating junk food are contributory factors causing cancer around the world.