Gastrointestinal cancer occurrence in East Azarbaijan: a five year study from North Western Iran

Regardless of the fact that neoplasms of the GI tract have been reported as the most common fatal cancers in east Azerbaijan, there is a serious lack of population based studies in this region. The aim of this pathology-based cancer registry report is to document epidemiologic aspects of gastrointestinal tract cancers in East Azerbaijan for further medical programs for treatment and screening of high-risk groups and study changes over time.

A survey team reviewed and collected all records of cancer cases from all referral and valid pathology laboratories, hospitals and out patient public and private clinics of East Azerbaijan province during a five year period (September 1999 to 2004).

5,417 new cases of histologically confirmed GI tract cancers were registered, 61.7% of the subjects being male. The mean (+/- SD) ages were 63.25+/-12.79 and 59.45+/-13.39 yr for men and women, respectively . Gastric cancer was the most common GI tract cancer with an annual ASR of 21.3 per 10(5) for males and 8.2 for females . The annual ASRs for esophagus and colorectal cancers were 9.4 and 6 in males and 7.1 and 9.2 in females. Gastric cancer was significantly more common among men although women were more likely to develop cancer in younger age. Some 14% of our subjects with colorectal cancer were under the age of 40.

This first report from East Azarbaijan, suggests a need for further evaluations to map out the risk factors and interventions.