Gastrointestinal Cancer Occurrence in East Azarbaijan : A Five Year Study from North Western Iran

Background and aims: Regardless of the fact that neoplasms of the GI tract have been reported as the mostcommon fatal cancers in east Azerbaijan, there is a serious lack of population based studies in this region. The aim ofthis pathology-based cancer registry report is to document epidemiologic aspects of gastrointestinal tract cancers inEast Azerbaijan for further medical programs for treatment and screening of high-risk groups and study changesover time.
Methods: A survey team reviewed and collected all records of cancer cases from all referral and validpathology laboratories, hospitals and out patient public and private clinics of East Azerbaijan province during a fiveyear period (September 1999 to 2004).
Results: 5417 new cases of histologically confirmed GI tract cancers wereregistered, 61.7% of the subjects being male. The mean (± SD) ages were 63.25 ± 12.79 and 59.45±13.39 yr for menand women, respectively .Gastric cancer was the most common GI tract cancer with an annual ASR of 21.3 per 105for males and 8.2 for females . The annual ASRs for esophagus and colorectal cancers were 9.4 and 6 in males and 7.1and 9.2 in females. Gastric cancer was significantly more common among men although women were more likely todevelop cancer in younger age. Some 14% of our subjects with colorectal cancer were under the age of 40.
Conclusion:This first report from East Azarbaijan, suggests a need for further evaluations to map out the risk factors andinterventions.