title: Incidence and age distribution of colorectal cancer in Iran: results of a population-based cancer registry.
abstract: Epidemiologic patterns of colorectal cancer (CRC) in Iran have not been studied adequately. In a recent cancer registry and active cancer surveillance, we collected data on the incidence of colorectal tumors in five provinces of Iran from 1996 to 2000. In total, 2055 were registered in this study. Age-adjusted rates of CRC in Iranian males and females were 8.2 and 7.0/100,000, respectively. Seventeen percent of the cases were younger than 40 years of age at the time of diagnosis. This proportion was similar to proportions seen in many other Middle-Eastern countries, but much higher than those seen in Western countries. A comparison of age-specific rates between Iran and the US showed similar rates in young (<40 years) Iranians and Americans, but much lower rates in older (>/=40) Iranians. We conclude that Iran is still a country with low-risk of CRC, particularly for older individuals. The high proportions of young CRC cases seen in Iran, and probably many neighboring countries, are due to the young age-structure of these countries and relatively low rates of CRC in older individuals.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: Mahboobeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahdavinia
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sadjadi
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nouraie
authors.forename: Farin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kamangar
authors.forename: Faraz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bishehsari
authors.forename: Hafez
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fakheri
authors.forename: Shahriar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semnani
authors.forename: Shahnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arshi
authors.forename: Mohammad-Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Zahedi
authors.forename: Sodeif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Darvish-Moghadam
authors.forename: Fariborz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mansour-Ghanaei
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mosavi
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors