title: Survival rate and prognostic factors of esophageal cancer in east Azerbaijan province, North-west of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Esophageal cancer in Iran is the sixth most common cancer and is particularly important in east Azerbaijan. The aim of this study was to calculate survival rates and define prognostic factors in esophageal cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, all patients with esophageal cancer registered in the Radiation Therapy Center, during March 2006 to March 2011, were analyzed and followed up for vital status. Data were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazard models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 532 patients, survival information was available for 460, including 205 (44/5%) females and 255 (55/4%) males. The mean age was 65.8±12.2, ranging from 29 to 90 years at the time of diagnosis. 1- , 3- and 5-year survival rates after diagnosis were 55%, 18% and 12%, respectively, with a median survival time of 13.2 ± .7 (CI 95%=11.8-14.6) months. In the univariate analysis, age (P=0/001), education (P=0/001), smoking status (P= 0/001), surgery (P=0/001), tumor differentiation (P=0/003) and tumor stage (P=0/001) were significant prognostic factors. Tumor morphology, sex, place of residence, tumor histology and tumor location did not show any significant effects on the survival rate. In multivariate analysis, age (P=0/003), smoking (P=0/01) and tumor stage (P=0/001) were significant independent predictors of survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, prognosis of esophageal cancer in North West of Iran is poor. Therefore, reduction in exposure to risk factors and early detection should be emphasized to improve survival.
authors.affiliation: Liver and Gastrointestinal Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. mirinezhad@gmail.com
authors.forename: Seye Kazem
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mirinezhad
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Somi
authors.forename: Amir Ghasemi
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Jangjoo
authors.forename: Farshad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seyednezhad
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dastgiri
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadzadeh
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Naseri
authors.forename: Behnam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nasiri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001382:Azerbaijan / Q000453:epidemiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate