Survival of colorectal cancer in Iran.
OBJECTIVE
Colorectal cancer is the fourth cause of cancer after stomach, bladder, prostate in men and second cause after breast in women in Iran. It is estimated that 4,000 new cases occur each year with 1,150 deaths annually. The present study aimed to determine survival of colorectal cancers in Iran in a national manner.


RESULTS
The data from national cancer registry department of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOH and ME) were used as the main source of incident colorectal cancer information in Iran from March 2000 to March 2005. One and five year survival proportions were 88% and 45% for females versus 86% and 39% for men. The median overall survival for colorectal cancer in Iran was 3.5 years with a 95 % confidence interval of 3.2-3.8 years. The worst survival status was found for patients less than 20 and more than 80 years old.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall 5 year survival for colorectal cancer in Iran (41%) is comparable even with some developed countries but it is far from those with advanced health care systems, or community based screening programs. Thus at the policy level, application of an appropriate national cancer control program and management guidelines should be under consideration.
Moradi
Afshin
A
Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University (MC), Tehran, Iran.
Khayamzadeh
Maryam
M
Guya
Mohammad  Mehdi
M
Mirzaei
Hamid Reza
HR
Salmanian
Reza
R
Rakhsha
Afshin
A
Akbari
Mohammad Esmaeil
ME
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult