title: Gastrointestinal cancer occurrence in East Azarbaijan: a five year study from North Western Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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).
  
  
  RESULTS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This first report from East Azarbaijan, suggests a need for further evaluations to map out the risk factors and interventions.
authors.affiliation: Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Center, Imam Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz. mhosseinsina@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hossein Somi
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mirinezhad
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farhang
authors.forename: Emitis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jazayeri
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sani
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seif-Farshadi
authors.forename: Mehrad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Golzari
authors.forename: Solmaz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashef
authors.forename: Marizye
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadegy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution