title: Burden of hospitalization for gastrointestinal tract cancer patients - Results from a cross-sectional study in Tehran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer is the third most common cause of death in Iran. The gastrointestinal cancers are the most frequent neoplasms among Iranian males and second to breast cancer among females. The objective of this study was to provide accurate up-to-date epidemiological information of hospitalized patients with GI tract cancer in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was designed as a retrospective cross-sectional survey included all consecutive GI cancer patients admitted over a one year period in a randomly selected hospital group located in metropolitan Tehran in 2006. Residence, age, sex, type of cancer and length of hospitalization were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 2,674 GI tract cancer patients were included in the study, There were 1,616 men (60.4%) and 1,058 women (39.6%). The majority of cancers were in the colorectum (40.0%), followed by the stomach (34.5%) and the esophagus (17.1%). The mean hospitalized durations were 7.5-/+6.5 days for men and 7.2-/+8.1 days for women. Male patients were significantly older than the women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By considering the hospitalized GI tract cancers and majority cases of colorectal cancer, prevention programs like as CRC screening should be going on in order to reducing morbidity and incidence rates in a high-risk population for GI tract cancers.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University M.C, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohamad Amin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pourhoseingholi
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vahedi
authors.forename: Bijan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moghimi-Dehkordi
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pourhoseingholi
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghafarnejad
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maserat
authors.forename: Azadeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Safaee
authors.forename: Babak Khoshkrood
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Mansoori
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Zali
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged