title: Cancer epidemiology and trends in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer is the second leading cause of death in developing countries. In Iran, cancer is the third cause of death. The present study aimed at providing the incidence rates (crude and agestandardized) of different types of cancers in Sistan and Baluchestan province (Southeastern of Iran).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected retrospectively reviewing all new cancer patients registered in Cancer Registry Center of Health Heputy for Sistan and Baluchestan province. Common cancers were defined based on the number of cases and standardized incidence rates. To compute the annual percentage change (APC), joinpoint 4.1.1.1 software was applied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 3535 cases of cancers registered during 2004-2009 were identified. Of these, 46.82% occurred in females and 53.18% in males. The most frequent cancer in women was breast cancer followed by esophagus, skin, colorectal and leukemia. The 5 most frequent cancers in men were stomach, skin, leukemia, esophagus and bladder. Joinpoint analyze showed a significant increasing trend for adjusted standard incidence rate (ASIR) for both sexes (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to The results of the present study and comparison to previous studies for other provinces in Iran, cancer incidence in Sistan and Baluchistan is less common but trends of cancers are increasing in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. It is necessary to have a comprehensive health policy for prevention and control of this problem.
authors.affiliation: MSc student of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. rafiemanesh.hosein@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Hosein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rafiemanesh
authors.affiliation: MSc Student in Health Care Management, Department of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Mehtarpoor@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mehtarpoor
authors.affiliation: PhD student in Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. amohamadii1361@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abdollah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadian-Hafshejani
authors.affiliation: Epidemiologist, Minimally Invasive Surgery Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran & PhD student of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. alesaleh70@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salehiniya
authors.affiliation: MSc in Epidemiology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mostafaenayatrad@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enayatrad
authors.affiliation: MSc. student of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran. salman.khazaei61@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Salman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khazaei
keywords: Cancer; Epidemiology; Incidence; Iran; Sistan and Baluchestan