Epidemiology of Female Reproductive Cancers in Iran: Results of the Gholestan Population-Based Cancer Registry

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Malignancies of the female reproductive tract are estimated to be the third most common groupof cancers in women. <br/><b>Objectives</b>: We here aimed to present their epidemiological features in Golestan provincelocated in Northeast of Iran. Materials and <br/><b>Methods</b>: Data on primary female reproductive cancers diagnosedbetween 2004-2010 were obtained from Golestan Population-based Cancer Registry (GPCR). CanReg-4 andSPSS software were used for data entry and analysis. Age standardized incidence rates (ASR) (per 100,000person-years) were calculated using the world standard population. Poisson regression analysis was used tocompare incidence rates. P-values of less than 0.05 were considered as significant. <br/><b>Results</b>: A total of 6,064cancer cases were registered in Golestan females in the GPCR during 2004-2010, of which 652 cases (11%) werefemale reproductive cancers. Cancers of the ovary (ASR=6.03) and cervix (ASR=4.97) were the most common.We found significant higher rates in females living in cities than in villages. Our results showed a rapid increasein age specific incidence rates of female reproductive cancers at the age of 30 years. <br/><b>Conclusions</b>: We foundsignificant higher rates of female reproductive cancers among residents of cities than villages. Differences inthe prevalence of risk factors including reproductive behavior between the two populations may partly explainsuch diversity. Our results also showed a rapid increase in incidence rates of these cancers in young age females.Further studies are warranted to determine risk factors of female reproductive cancers in our population.