The First Screening Program for Colorectal Cancer in the North of Iran.

PURPOSE: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths. This screening aimed to determine the positivity of the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and the results of colonoscopy among a medium-risk population in the northern regions of Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2016 on 924 eligible samples from people over the age of 50. After completing the questionnaire, participants were referred to a laboratory for three immunochemical fecal occult blood tests (IFOBTs). If the result of at least one test was found to be positive, they were submitted to the state hospital for colonoscopy. Results were recorded according to the number of people with CRC, polyps, and other diseases. RESULTS: Among a total number of 897 (97.1%) cases, at least two acceptable samples were sent to the laboratory and in 229 (25.5%) cases, at least one case was IFOBT-positive. Finally, 118 (64.1%) cases were referred to the hospital for colonoscopy; among these, 5 colonoscopies were incomplete, while 113 had complete colonoscopies with 42 healthy subjects, 3 cases of cancer, 28 cases of polyps, and other diseases identified in the remaining patients. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, the prevalence of positive IFOBT, polyps, and cancer was high. The results of this study will play an important role in establishing a CRC screening program in the country. With reference to the status of the general population, the target group in the country should be reviewed and not limited to the first-degree relatives of patients.

Cancer incidence in Iran in 2014: Results of the Iranian National Population-based Cancer Registry.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to report, for the first time, the results of the Iranian National Population-based Cancer Registry (INPCR) for the year 2014. METHODS: Total population of Iran in 2014 was 76,639,000. The INPCR covered 30 out of 31 provinces (98% of total population). It registered only cases diagnosed with malignant new primary tumors. The main sources for data collection included pathology center, hospitals as well as death registries. Quality assessment and analysis of data were performed by CanReg-5 software. Age standardized incidence rates (ASR) (per 100,000) were reported at national and subnational levels. RESULTS: Overall, 112,131 new cancer cases were registered in INPCR in 2014, of which 60,469 (53.9%) were male. The diagnosis of cancer was made by microscopic confirmation in 76,568 cases (68.28%). The ASRs of all cancers were 177.44 and 141.18 in male and female, respectively. Cancers of the stomach (ASR = 21.24), prostate (18.41) and colorectum (16.57) were the most common cancers in men and the top three cancers in women were malignancies of breast (34.53), colorectum (11.86) and stomach (9.44). The ASR of cervix uteri cancer in women was 1.78. Our findings suggested high incidence of cancers of the esophagus, stomach and lung in North/ North West of Iran. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that Iran is a medium-risk area for incidence of cancers. We found differences in the most common cancers in Iran comparing to those reported for the World. Our results also suggested geographical diversities in incidence rates of cancers in different subdivisions of Iran.

Incidence of Neonatal Hyperphenylalaninemia Based on High-performance Liquid Chromatography Confirmatory Technique in Mazandaran Province, Northern Iran (2007-2015).

BACKGROUND: Classic phenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic disorder. The purpose of this study was to assess epidemiological factors of PKU phenotypes in a neonatal screening program for Mazandaran, Iran. METHODS: In this descriptive-retrospective study from 2007 to 2015, neonates PKU level was conducted by phenylalanine level based on a biochemical technique by ELISA and then by confirmatory methods high performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Of the 407,244 screened newborns (48.7% girls and 51.3% boys), 14 girls and 13 boys were diagnosed definitely from 465 suspicious cases of PKU. The incidence of PKU was 0.66 in 10,000, which was noted in different severity (severe PKU - 1:67,874, mild PKU - 1:45,249, and HPA - 1:33,937). In addition, we did not detect any cases of nonclassic PKU. CONCLUSIONS: Although the consanguineous marriage pattern is a major cause of hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) particularly in Iranian, there was no significant difference between groups in this study. Now, screening should be executed for all of the family that they have the familial history of PKU in Iran. According to varies actual of prevalence and incidence rate of PKU reported a real patient and taking PKU with mild PKU and HPA, it is recommended, the will provide the PKU reports based on the severity of the disease.