Seyyede Fatemeh Zahra Hashemi Terujeni - Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
Sepideh Bakhshandehnosrat - Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
Abbas Moghaddami - Department of Health, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
Siamak Rajaei - Department of Surgery, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

Introduction: Northeastern Iran has been known as a high risk area of upper gastrointestinal cancers. Recent reports have suggested a declining trend for these cancers as well as an increase in incidence of other malignancies including breast cancer. We aim to describe the epidemiological pattern of breast cancer in this region during 2004 to 2009.Methods: All new cancer cases from public and private diagnostic and therapeutic centers of Golestan province were registered. Structured questionnaire was prepared and used based on the standards of the International Association of Cancer Registries. The international classification of diseases for oncology was considered for coding. Aged standardized incidence rate (ASR) of breast cancer was calculated. Results: A total of 11038 new cancer cases were registered during 2004-2009, of which, 1101 (10%) were females with breast cancer. The ASR for breast cancer was 28 per 100000 person-years. We found an unusual rapid increase in breast cancer rate at the age of 25 years. The ASR of breast cancer was significantly lower in females from Turkmen ethnicity and those from rural areas (P-value<0.01). Conclusion: Our study showed high rate of breast cancer in Golestan province of Iran. We found an unusual peak of breast cancer in young women. So, the age of starting screening program may need to be revised in this area. The rate of breast cancer was significant lower in women from Turkmen ethnicity. Further studies are warranted to clarify the role of important determinants, especially the ethnic disparity, on breast cancer in this region.

Breast cancer, Epidemiology, Iran, Ethnic disparity. hashemifatemezahra@yahoo.com