title: Epidemiologic survey of infantile cancer in Iran based on the data of the largest pediatric cancer referral center (Ali- Asghar Children Hospital), 1996-2005.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer in infants younger than one year of age represents a unique problem with distinct epidemiological, clinical and genetic characteristics compared with older age groups. No report is yet available from Iran regarding epidemiological and survival rate of cancers diagnosed in this age group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The population under study comprised of patients which were diagnosed and admitted to Ali-Asghar hospital between years 1996-2005. In total, 287 infants were included in the retrospective descriptive survey. Patient files were evaluated for age of patient at the time of diagnosis, sex, geographical residence, consanguinity of parents, histological diagnosis, site of cancer involvement, type of therapy, date of last follow-up and cause of death (if applicable).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age at the time of diagnosis was 7.2 months old. The most frequent malignancy was retinoblastoma (44%), followed by leukemia (19%) and neuroblastoma (10%), with five-year overall survival rates of 77.7%, 41% and 90%, respectively Parents of 40 infants (13.9%) had consanguinity relationships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although we cannot make any conclusions regarding the incidence of infant cancer subtypes based on this study, survival rates for major types were similar to the developed countries, which signifies strict adherence to standards of care in Ali-Asghar hospital, the main infant cancer care centre in Iran. A Childhood Cancer Registry with high-resolution data collection and also advanced genetic testing is advocated for in-depth analysis of variation in incidence and survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Onco-Pathology Research Center, Ali-Asghar Children Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran E-mail : bahoush04@eurocord.org.
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bahoush-Mehdiabadi
authors.forename: Roshanak
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Habibi
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shariftabrizi
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vossough
mesh_terms: D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D003241:Consanguinity; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D007938:Leukemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D009396:Wilms Tumor / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality