16. Palestinian Ministry of Health. The First Report on Oncology in Palestine: Executive Summary. PNA: HMIS, 2002: 2p.

Cancer registries have been defined as an organized system for the collection, storage, analysis, and interpretation of data on persons with cancer. Palestinian Cancer Registry (PCR) is a population-based registry established in 1996 under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health and it started its regular work in 1998. The main purpose of the PCR is to define the size of the cancer problem and pattern of its occurrence. The available information on cancer incidence covers only 1998-1999 in North governorates. The registry process in Gaza governorates includes years from 1995 till now which shows that the registries includes all cancer cases from its different sources. The registries show that: In Palestine, about 2,926 cases of cancer were reported in 1998-1999 with an incidence rate per 100,000 population was 58.7 (58.3 in male and 59.2 in female). In West Bank, about 1,481 cases of cancer were reported in 1998-1999 with an incidence rate per 100,000 population was 60.1 (61.8 in male and 58.5 in female). In Gaza Strip, about 3,646 cases of cancer were reported in 1995-2000: Male: 1,750 (48%) and; female: 1,896 cases (52%).