title: Colorectal carcinoma in a Southern Mediterranean country: The Libyan scenario.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the salient features of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Libya.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients records were gathered at the primary oncology clinic in eastern Libya for the period of one calendar year (2012). Using this data, various parameters were analyzed and age-standardized incidence rates were determined using the direct method and the standard population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 2012, 174 patients were diagnosed with CRC, 51.7% (n = 90) male and 48.3% (n = 84) females. The average age was 58.7 (± 13.4) years, with men around 57.3 (± 13) years old and women usually 60.1 (± 13.8) years of age. Libya has the highest rate of CRC in North Africa, with an incidence closer to the European figures. The age-standardized rate for CRC was 17.5 and 17.2/100000 for males and females respectively. It was the second most common cancer, forming 19% of malignancies, with fluctuation in ranking and incidence in different cities/villages. Increasingly, younger ages are being afflicted and a higher proportion of patients are among the > 40 years subset. Nearly two-thirds presented at either stage III (22.4%) or IV (38.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cancer surveillance systems should be established in order to effectively monitor the situation. Likewise, screening programs are invaluable in the Libyan scenario given the predominance of sporadic cases.
authors.affiliation: Zuhir Bodalal, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Libyan International Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
authors.forename: Zuhir
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bodalal
authors.affiliation: Zuhir Bodalal, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Libyan International Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
authors.forename: Riyad
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bendardaf
keywords: Age-standardized rates; Benghazi, Libya; Cancer incidence; Colorectal carcinoma; North Africa; Urban-rural differences; Young age
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