Gastrointestinal cancer incidence in East Azerbaijan, Iran: update on 5 year incidence and trends.

Background: A cancer registry program has been established in East Azerbaijan and this has emphasized the importance of cancers of gastrointestinal tract in this region. The aim of the present pathology-based cancer registry report is to renew epidemiologic aspects of gastrointestinal tract cancers and estimate recent trends. Materials and Methods: A survey team reviewed and collected all records of cancer cases from all referral and valid pathology laboratories of East Azerbaijan province during September 2007-2011. Crude rates, age-specific rates of cancer incidence and annual percent change were calculated. Results: The total newly diagnosed cancer cases (n=6,889) comprised 4,341 males (63.0%) and 2,540 females (36.9%). Gastric cancer was the most common GI tract cancer with an ASR (per 105) of 23.1 for males and 7.69 for females. The ASRs for esophageal and colorectal cancers were 9.69 and 11.2 in males and 7.35 and 8.93 in females. Trend analysis showed a significant decline for esophageal cancer and increasing incidence for colorectal cancer in females. Conclusions: The prevalence of gastric cancer is high in East Azerbaijan province of Iran. This pathology based cancer registry showed an ascending trend for colorectal cancer and decreasing trend for esophageal cancer in females during 2007-2011.