Epidemiology and Trend of Cancers in the Province of Kerman: Southeast of Iran

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> According to increase in elderly populations, and change in lifestyle and cancer-causing behavior,the global burden of cancer is increasing. For prevention and control of disease, knowledge of population statisticsof cancers and their trends is essential. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology and trends of cancerin the province of Kerman: southeast of Iran. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: This analytical and cross-sectional studywas carried out based on cancer registry data at the Disease Management Center of the Health Ministry from2004 to 2009 in the province of Kerman in Iran. Common cancers were defined as the number of reported casesand standardized incidence rates. To compute the annual percentage change (APC), joinpoint 4.1.1.1 softwarewas applied. <br/><b>Results</b>: Of 10,595 registered cases, 45.3% (4802 cases) were in women and 56.7% (5,793 cases)occurred in men. The standardized incidence rates for both females and males were increasing during the sixyears studied. The most common cancers in both sexes during six years of studied were skin (13.4%), breast(9.35%), bladder (7.8%), stomach (7.45%), leukemia (7.05%), colorectal(5.57%), lung(4.92%), trachea(3.51%)and prostate(2.48%). <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: Our findings revealed that the cancer incidence is demonstrating increasingtrends in both sexes in the province of Kerman. This may be because of changes in lifestyle, increasing exposureto risk factors for cancer and increase of life expectancy. If this is the case, increasing public awareness of cancerrisk factors is a high priority, together with introduction of large-scale screening techniques.