title: Spatiotemporal Distribution of Gastrointestinal Tract Cancer through GIS over 2007-2012 in Kermanshah-Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer is one of the common causes of disability and mortality in the world. The present study aimed to define the spatiotemporal distribution of gastrointestinal tract cancers using a geographic information system (GIS) over the time period of 2007-2012 in Kermanshah-Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The method of studying was descriptive-analytical as well as comparative with gastrointestinal tract cancer patients based in the City of Kermanshah over the time period covered. For data analysis, the GIS and SPSS 16.0 were applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the pathological reports within the space of 5 years, 283 cases of gastrointestinal tract cancer (157 in males, 156 in females) were reported. The performed tests in terms of spatial distribution in the environment of GIS indicated that the disease demonstrated a clustered pattern in the City of Kermanshah. More to the point, some loci of this disease have emerged in the City of Kermanshah that in the first level, 6 neighborhoods with 29-59 cases of this disease per square kilometer and in the second level, 15-29 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gastrointestinal tract cancer demonstrated an ascending trend within the space of 5 years of research and the spatiotemporal distribution of cancer featured a concentrated and clustered pattern in the City of Kermanshah.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrician, Center of Excellence for Community Oriented Medicine Education and Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran E-mail : saedishahram@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sohyla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reshadat
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saeidi
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Zangeneh
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khademi
authors.forename: Keyvan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khasi
authors.forename: SayedRamin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.forename: Nader Rajabi
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Gilan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged