Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32795357›Full record

ArticleBMC neurology2020

Epidemiology of brain tumors in the United Arab Emirates: a National Registry Cross-sectional Study.

Sarah Khan, Mona El Kouatly Kambris, Eman T AlShamsi

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC neurology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
2.2field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. The Increasing Importance of Breast Cancer in the United Arab Emirates.Asia-Pacific journal of clinical oncology · 2026
    Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Sarah KhanCollege of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Sarah.khan@zu.ac.ae.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0110-5248
Mona El Kouatly KambrisCollege of Natural and Health Sciences, Zayed University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Eman T AlShamsiTawam Hospital, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Zayed University · AETawam Hospital · AE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer is the third leading cause of death in the United Arab Emirates (UAE); brain cancer ranks 10th among the cancers, with 2.9% of the primary cancers originating from the nervous system. The epidemiology of brain cancers has not been explored. The unique population dynamics of UAE make it a fertile ground for analyzing the epidemiology of brain cancer. In this study, we aim to look at the frequency patterns and distribution of malignant primary brain tumors in the UAE.

methodsA cross sectional study was carried out using data obtained from the Tawam Hospital Cancer Registry for the years 1984-2017. The sample size included 756 diagnosed cases of malignant primary brain tumors in the UAE. Using SPSS and Excel software, frequencies, mean ages, histological type frequencies, average annual crude incidence rates and average annual age adjusted incidence rates were analyzed.

resultsThe expatriate population had higher percentage of brain tumors (72%) than the locals. The mean age at diagnosis was 33.48 years (± 21.14 years) with a male to female ratio of 1.69. Diffuse astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumors were the most commonly diagnosed tumors overall. Older adults had more cases of lymphoma while embryonal and ependymal tumors were most commonly seen in younger age groups. The overall average annual crude incidence rate for 2013-2016 for all primary brain tumors was 0.56 per 100,000 population.

conclusionThis is the first cancer registry study in the UAE that describes histological types of primary brain tumors based on the WHO 2016 classification of brain tumors and highlights their incidence rates. Through this study, several patterns of incidence trends for brain tumors in the UAE, according to histological types, sex and age groups have been recognized. Comparative studies would help identify the influence of potential changes in lifestyle, environmental or occupational risk factors on primary brain tumors.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultBrain NeoplasmsChildCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRegistriesUnited Arab EmiratesYoung AdultBrain tumorsEpidemiologyIncidence rateUnited Arab Emirates

Identifiers

PMID32795357
PMCPMC7427280
OpenAlexW3049391534

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.