title: A Comparative Study on Cancer Prevention Principles Between Iranian Traditional Medicine and Classic Medicine.
abstract: Cancer is one of the three main causes of mortality in most human communities whose prevalence is being increased. A significant part of health budget in all countries has been allocated to treat the cancer, which is incurable in many cases. It has led the global health attitude to cancer prevention. Many cancer-related risk factors have been identified for which preventive recommendations have been offered by international organizations such as World Health Organization. Some of the most important of these risk factors are smoking and alcohol consumption, hypercaloric and low-fiber diet, obesity, inactivity, environmental and industrial pollution, some viral infections, and hereditary factors. Exact reviewing of Iranian-Islamic traditional medicine (IITM) resources determines that preventive rules, which named as six essential rules (Sitteh-e-Zarurieah) are abundantly found, including all identified cancer-related risk factors. These preventive rules are: Air (Hava), body movement and repose, sleep and wakefulness, food and drink, evacuation and retention, and mental movement and repose (A'raz-e-Nafsani). The associated risk factors in classic medicine are: Smoking and air pollution, sedentary life, sleep disturbance, improper nutrition and alcohol, chronic constipation, and psychoneurotic stresses. Moreover, these rules are comprehensive enough to include many of the other harmful health-related factors whose roles have been confirmed in the occurrence of different diseases, except cancer. Apparently, cancer prevention in Iran would be more successful if the sextet necessary rules of IITM are promoted among the populations and health policy makers.
authors.affiliation: Entekhab Cancer Prevention and Control Research Center, ALA Charity Foundation, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeinalian
authors.affiliation: Entekhab Cancer Prevention and Control Research Center, ALA Charity Foundation, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eshaghi
authors.affiliation: Entekhab Cancer Prevention and Control Research Center, ALA Charity Foundation, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sharbafchi
authors.affiliation: Entekhab Cancer Prevention and Control Research Center, ALA Charity Foundation, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Homayoun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naji
authors.affiliation: Entekhab Cancer Prevention and Control Research Center, ALA Charity Foundation, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Sayed Mohammad Masoud
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Marandi
authors.affiliation: Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Sedigheh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asgary
keywords: Cancer; comparative study; prevention; traditional medicine