ABSTRACT
Golestan Province, at the western end of the Asian esophageal cancer [EC] belt in northeastern Iran, was reported to have one of the highest worldwide rates of EC in the 1970s. We have previously shown a declining incidence of EC in Golestan during the last decades. This study reports additional new results from the Golestan Population-based Cancer Registry [GPCR]. The GPCR collected data from newly diagnosed [incident] cancer cases from all 68 public and private diagnostic and therapeutic centers in Golestan Province. CanReg-4 software was used for data entry and analysis based on the guidelines of the International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC]. Age-standardized incidence rates [ASR] of cancers were calculated using the 2000 world standard population. From 2004 through 2008, 9007 new cancer cases were reported to the GPCR. The mean [SD] age was 55.5 [18.6] years, and 54% were diagnosed in men. The ASRs of all cancers were 175.3 and 141.1 per 100,000 person-years for males and females, respectively. Cancers of the stomach [ASR:30.7], esophagus [24.3], and lung [15.4] were the most common cancers in males. In females, breast cancer [ASR:26.9] was followed by malignancies of the esophagus [19.1] and stomach [12.4]. The diagnosis of cancer was based on histopatho-logical reports in 71% and on death certificate only in 9% of cases. The EC incidence rate continues to decline in Golestan, while the incidence rates of stomach, colorectal, and breast cancers continue to increase