Pancreatic cancer in the UAE

In 2021, 110 cases of pancreatic cancer were diagnosed in the UAE population, with 31 cases among UAE citizens and 79 among non-UAE citizens. There is no published data about the stage of presentations in these cases, yet in our experience, it is in keeping with international figures. Presentation with locoregionally advanced and inoperable (30-35%) or metastatic disease (50-55%) remains the most commonly encountered scenario in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, for whom there is no role for palliative resection. The treatment of pancreatic ducal adenocarcinoma, whether early or metastatic, is advanced and largely follows NCCN guidelines in the UAE. One of the major challenges is decentralized surgical care due to the large number of cancer care providers in the UAE, which may affect the surgical outcome in lower-volume centers. The delivery of palliative care for patients with pancreatic cancer varies across the UAE, with variable accessibility based on the institution.