Colorectal cancer prevalence according to survival data in Iran in 2007

Colorectal cancer is a common and lethal disease with 5000 new cases reported each year in Iran. This study was done to estimate the 1, 2-3 and 4-5 year point prevalence of colorectal cancer in Iran. In this descriptive study we studied the follow-up of 2342 patients with colorectal cancer documented in the cancer registry in Iran during a time period of 4 years from March 2001 to March 2005. One-year, 2-3 year and 4-5 year point prevalence were estimated from incidence rates in different years and proportion of patients surviving 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 years after diagnosis. Proportion of cases surviving 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 years from diagnosis were 79.2%, 65.08%, 57.36%, 51.76% and 48.87% respectively. Estimation of prevalence at 1, 2-3 and 4-5 years were 4156, 5715 and 4283 cases, respectively. Cumulative 5 year prevalence was 13954 cases. Estimates of prevalence at 1, 2-3 and 4-5 years are necessary for the evaluation of initial treatment, clinical follow-up and point of cure, and also for identification of patients who need further social support or health care. Therefore 1, 2-3 and 4-5 year point prevalence estimation are necessary in health service planning for cancer management. Colorectal cancer is a common and lethal disease with 5000 new cases reported each year in Iran. This study was done to estimate the 1, 2-3 and 4-5 year point prevalence of colorectal cancer in Iran. In this descriptive study we studied the follow-up of 2342 patients with colorectal cancer documented in the cancer registry in Iran during a time period of 4 years from March 2001 to March 2005. One-year, 2-3 year and 4-5 year point prevalence were estimated from incidence rates in different years and proportion of patients surviving 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 years after diagnosis. Proportion of cases surviving 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 years from diagnosis were 79.2%, 65.08%, 57.36%, 51.76% and 48.87% respectively. Estimation of prevalence at 1, 2-3 and 4-5 years were 4156, 5715 and 4283 cases, respectively. Cumulative 5 year prevalence was 13954 cases. Estimates of prevalence at 1, 2-3 and 4-5 years are necessary for the evaluation of initial treatment, clinical follow-up and point of cure, and also for identification of patients who need further social support or health care. Therefore 1, 2-3 and 4-5 year point prevalence estimation are necessary in health service planning for cancer management

Reproductive characteristics and the risk of breast cancer--a case-control study in Iran.

Breast cancer is a common malignancy for women in most parts of the world and the incidence in Iranian women is growing. The patients are relatively younger than their western counterparts. The present hospital based case-control study was designed to determine roles of reproductive factors for breast cancer among women in Iran. Conducted at a teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran, in 2004, the study covered a total of 303 cases of breast cancer and 303 healthy controls. Cases were identified through the Oncology Department of a university hospital and controls were collected from other wards or out-patient clinics at the same hospital. Control subjects were matched to patients for age. Informed consent was obtained from all cases and controls then demographic and reproductive factors were ascertained by in-person interview using a constructed questionnaire. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for breast cancer were derived using logistic regression analysis. The mean +/-SD ages of cases and controls were 48.8 +/- 9.8 and 50.2 +/- 11.1 years, respectively, (range 24-84). The final model for multiple analysis indicated that never married, post menopause, age at first live birth, number of live births, use of oral contraceptive pills, and history of chest X-rays between adolescence and 30 yrs of age, were significantly associated with breast cancer. Variables such as higher education, early age at menarche, abortion, breast feeding and its duration were not significant risk factors.

A study of cancer patterns among inpatients of public hospitals in Iran.

Cancer is becoming an increasingly important cause of premature mortality in developing countries as their populations expand and their lifestyle becomes westernized. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency distribution of various neoplasms among Iranian inpatients, their demographic status and length of stay involved in hospitals during 2000-2002. Records of 17447 inpatients who were hospitalized with malignant tumors in Iranian public hospitals during 2000-2002 were studied. The neoplasms had been coded and classified according to International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). The frequency distribution of cancer patients was evaluated by age, sex, place of residence and the length of stay at hospital. There were 9470 male patients (54.3%) and 7977 females (45.7%). The mean +/- sd age was 51.2+/-20.6 with a median of 55 years. The average for females (49.4+/-19.2 yrs) was significantly lower than that for males (52.8+/-21.7 yrs) (p<0.001). The five most common cancer sites were the digestive organs (27.6%) followed by lymphoid and haematopoitic tissues (21.4%), breast (10.2%), respiratory and intrathoracic organs (8.8%) and skin (6%). These accounted for 74% of all malignancies. Some 31% of women's cancers were found in breast or genital organs compared to only 7.6% for males. The male/female ratio was 1.19 with the highest being 2.85 for respiratory organs and the lowest being 0.04 for breast. Mean age of male patients with cancer of the digestive organs, respiratory and intrathoracic organs and skin was significantly lower than that of females (p<0.001). The median length of stay of patients in hospitals each time they were admitted was 6 days. Of the cancer patients, 77.7% lived in urban areas which include only 64.5% of the population. Rural patients with skin cancer accounted for 32.1%. In conclusion, the results of this study carry important implications for future health planning strategies and provide a baseline for further studies on the evaluation of malignancies in Iran.