Search

Background: Breast cancer (BC) screening and awareness programs are conducted annually for Iranian women by the collaboration of several governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). We designed a study to assess the effect of the campaign on women's awareness, education, and the outcome of previously unnoticed breast lesions detected during the campaign screening program. Methods: Through online social media announcements, women were invited to participate in this campaign run in five locations in the capital of Iran, Tehran. Participants filled out a questionnaire about personal data, previous breast problems, BC awareness, and screening attitudes. BC screening was only performed via breast examination by surgeons for all women. We called all participants who required further investigation after two years. Results: In this campaign, 418 women with a mean age of 43.19±49.11 were examined. About 42% had some information about BC, mainly acquired from the media. Among women over 50, 30.2% had no previous screenings, and 15.9% had not been referred despite having symptoms. Among the women who needed further investigations, according to the campaign evaluation, 71.8% complied with the recommendation to follow-up their case, and two women were diagnosed with BC. Conclusion: Women need more education in the field of BC awareness, and on the need for screening, especially after the age of 50. To achieve these goals, using mass media is highly recommended, and the experience of the successful campaigns run by charity organizations and academic centers might be a good guide for preparing a comprehensive protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Considering changes in the structure of Iran’s population, the prevalence of cancer is increasing. Increasing social awareness about cancer and screening for cancers are the most cost-effective approaches for breast cancer prevention. Studies show a significantly low rate of regular breast cancer screening behaviors. Given the importance of breast cancer and the decreasing effect of screening methods on the financial burden and disease complications, awareness about their attitude can provide appropriate information for Policy-making about breast cancer screening methods in Iran. This study aimed to investigate the attitude of women over 40 years-old visiting health centers affiliated toward breast cancer screening methods. Methods: This is a descriptive/analytical study performed cross-sectionally in the health centers affiliated with TUMS. Two hundreds fifty-five women from Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex and some health centers that were subsidiaries of the south health centers of TUMS, were enrolled. To collect the required data, we developed a questionnaire based on tools used in similar studies. We used the Chi-square test to investigate the relationship of the attitude score with demographic and socioeconomic variables. The statistical analyses were performed in STATA. Results: About 77.6% of the participants agreed that breast cancers detected earlier are almost treatable. About 18.9% of the participants believed that (agree and highly agree) they will not develop breast cancer in the future, and 47.8% had no idea; 68.2% of the participants disagreed with the item “breast cancer is almost incurable even if detected in early stages;” about 22.0% of them believed that they are at higher risks for breast cancer compared to other women, and 61.3% of the participants agreed to visit a physician in case of feeling pain or a mass in the breast Conclusion: The attitude of the Women participating in the study toward breast cancer screening is high; this finding can be used in plans aiming to raise awareness and conduct screening in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: National comprehensive cancer control programs combat cancer through different measures, including primary prevention, early detection, treatment, and palliative and supportive care. Among the others, early detection programs seem to be a promising intervention and lead to lower cancer mortality. We define research priorities for the early detection of cancers in Iran. Methods: We applied the multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) tools using three key attributes, including “5-year prevalence”, “mortality to incidence ration as severity of disease,” and “economic burden,” to rank different cancers for research priorities. The priorities were ranked based on four scenarios based on the weighting of the attributes. We also used the differences in the 5-year survival between localized and advanced tumors as the effect of early detection and incorporated it as the decision rule into the priority-setting model. Results: Gastric cancer and cancers of the brain and nervous system ranked first in all the proposed scenarios. The most and least 5-year survival differences between localized and advanced cancers were observed for the kidney (80.5%) and the brain (3.3%) cancers. The top 10 priorities for early cancer detection in Iran were gastric, prostate, breast, lung, colorectal, ovarian, kidney, bladder, and cervical cancers. Conclusion: We used a quantitative method and demonstrated the priority areas for research in the early detection of cancer in Iran. Researchers and government may use these results to optimize their research strategies for cancer prevention in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with colorectal cancer experience disabilities and complications that lead to reduced quality of life. To reduce the symptoms and complications of the disease, reduce the costs, and increase the quality of life, patients should manage and control their disease. The aim of this study was to identify the requirements of a mobile-based application for self-management of patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: The present descriptive-applied research was conducted from 2020 to 2021. The requirements of the colorectal cancer application (including educational content, data elements, and capabilities) were assessed using needs assessments from patients, physicians, and nurses. The questionnaire was distributed among 114 people at the Cancer Institute and Firouzgar Hospital in Tehran. The obtained data (88 cases) were analyzed using the SPSS software, and the required components were identified. Results: Except the need for training for fatigue, other educational needs were considered necessary. In terms of essential data elements and according to the perspective of the patients, physicians, and nurses, the clinical data were more important than the demographic data. In addition, out of 79 features in 10 categories including drug management, nutrition and diet management, pain management, fatigue management, stress reduction and control, anxiety and depression, sleep management, exercise and physical activity, smoking and alcohol cessation, communication, and ancillary tools of a self-management application, 39 features were considered necessary. Conclusion: Applying the requirements mentioned in the present study can improve the self-management of the patients with colorectal cancer. The features provided can be used as a model for designing software, systems, or applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 could cause severe complications in those with pre-existing conditions such as cancer. Here, we aimed to assess the outcome of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients with a history of cancer. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we extracted medical records of patients with any cancer history among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Our patients were admitted between February 20th and July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was death, and the secondary outcomes were overall survival, COVID-19-specific mortality, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), and hospital stay. A group of individuals without cancer history was selected from the COVID-19 cohort and matched for age, gender, and pre-existing conditions. We utilized univariate and multivariate logistic regression to analyze the association between studied variables and primary outcomes. Results: We identified 46 patients with cancer and COVID-19. The median age was 63, and 54.3% were male. According to the univariate logistic regression analysis, death was 5.3 (CI95%: 1.75-15.85) times more probable in cancer patients than controls (p=0.003). The multivariate analysis adjusted for having cancer and sex, age, and having any comorbidity showing this figure was 5.5 (CI95%:1.8-16.8) (p=0.003). The 30- and 90-day COVID-19 specific mortality was 30% (CI95%:17-43) and 33% (CI95%: 20-46), respectively. Conclusion: Patients with COVID-19 with a history of cancer have a considerably higher risk of death irrespective of age, gender, and other pre-existing conditions. Patients with advanced cancers and concurrent bacterial infections need the most vigorous care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer is a significant public health problem, and its burden is increasing globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Cancer charities, alongside the government, could address health issues based on their goals. We studied the activities of cancer charities related to breast cancer (BC) prevention in Iran. Methods: We designed a situational analysis study. We abstracted the cancer charities' objectives that were members of the "Iran Cancer National Network of NGOs and Charities (IRCNNC)." We also searched for their international activities. We reviewed the BC prevention programs conducted by Iranian cancer charities and collected their data and information regarding BC awareness and screening. Results: Overall, 43 charities were an active member of the IRCNNC and were engaged in 6 areas, including 1) financial and non-financial supports, 2) providing medical services, 3) providing accommodation to companions of the patients traveling from other cities, 4) supplying infrastructure and medical equipment to cancer hospitals, 5) conducting scientific and research activities, and 6) running educational and awareness campaigns. Most actions were on financial and non-financial supports. Seven charities are a member of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). Five charities reported their movement on BC prevention. Conclusion: Most charities did not document their prevention programs and did not follow an organized screening program. Training and capacity building is needed to support the cancer charities for the evidence-based cancer prevention program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. HPV infection can cause some types of cancer including female genital cancers (cervical cancer, vulvar) and male genital cancer as well as oropharyngeal cancers and genital warts. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor of cervical cancer or genital warts. Case presentation: This case report present a young woman who developed extensive genital warts a year after starting water-pipe smoking. These genital warts healed spontaneously after cessation of water-pipe smoking. Conclusion: The primary hypothesis that could be propounded, is that water-pipe smoke plays a role as an independent risk factor in developing genital warts, similar to cigarette smoke. In addition, water pipe smking may transmit different infections, including HPV infection through sharing the mouth tips of the water pipe between the users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Muslim cancer patients and healthcare professionals face several challenges about the necessity of fasting and its possible side effects during the holy month of Ramadan. We aimed to study the prevalence of fasting among cancer patients during Ramadan and opinions of health care professionals about fasting among cancer patients in Iran. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey during the Ramadan (July-August) in 2013. Participants were 620 cancer patients and, 187 healthcare professionals in several cancer clinics from different provinces of Iran. We used self-administered questionnaires and collected data from patients, and healthcare professionals to collect data. We performed descriptive analysis by using Stata statistical software. Results: Out of 620 patients who participated in this study, 428 (69%) were women. 76 (13%) of patients had fasted for at least a day during Ramadan and, from which 41 (7%) had fasted whole months because of their religious belief. Among patients who had refrained from fasting, the reasons were lack of sufficient physical strength (403, 65%), excessive thirst (141, 23%). 275 (44%) of participants had consulted with their physician about fasting. We found that more than 50% of physicians advised against fasting for patients following surgery, pre-operation, recent hospitalization, and consumption of oral or intravenous chemotherapy. Most of the healthcare professionals (68%) believed that cancer survivors could not fast even if they have no signs or symptoms or side-effects after the treatment. Conclusion: Although most of the cancer patients refrain from fasting, some cancer patients practice fasting and face challenges during the holy month of Ramadan in Iran. Most patients consult about fasting in Ramadan with their doctor who has variable opinions about this issue. Development of guidelines for healthcare professional and cancer patients regarding Ramadan fasting is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Burden of cancer is increasing worldwide, especially in the low and middle income countries (LMICs), including Iran. Several reports have been published about cancer statistics in Iran, although they had shortcomings and provided variable results. We reported the most valid cancer statistics about Iran. Methods: We used Globocan database and reported age standardize incidence rate (ASR), mortality rate (ASMR), and five-year prevalence of cancer in Iran in 2012, and compared it with the results of 2008. We also provided the projection of cancer incidence for 2035 and estimated the life time cancer risks by age 75. Results: ASRs per 100,000 were 134.7 for men and 120.1 for women. The most common cancers were breast (ASR 28.1), colorectal (ASR 10.5), stomach (ASR 9.7) cancers in women and stomach (ASR 20.6), bladder (ASR 13.2), prostate (ASR 12.6) cancers in men. The ASR was about 19% higher in 2012 (127.7/100,000) compared to 2008 (107.3/100,000). ASR of all cancer sites will increase about 2.17 times by 2035. ASMR was about 20% higher in men (90.4/100,000) than women (72.7/100,000) in 2012. The highest ASMRs was observed for breast cancer (9.9/100,000) in women and stomach cancer (17.3/100,000) in men. Five-year prevalence of all cancers was 79,194 for men and 90,521 for women in 2012. Lifetime risk of occurrence of all types of cancer was 25%. In other words, 1 in 4 Iranian people will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 75 years. Conclusion: Stomach and breast cancers were the most common cancers in Iranian men and women, respectively. Iran and other LMICs will experience major increase in the incidence and mortality of cancer in the next decades. They need to collocate further resources for cancer surveillance system and monitor the cancer statistics for evidence based cancer control program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Migrant studies may provide valuable clues to the etiology of chronic diseases such as cancer. We conducted a migrant study to examine cancer incidence among Iranian immigrants in Sweden. Methods: A cohort of Iranian immigrants in Sweden in 1960-2004 was followed through record linkages with Swedish registers of cancer, death, and migration. We compared Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (ASRs) with corresponding ASRs in Tehran and Sweden and estimated Standard Rate Ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI). In addition, ASRs were stratified by follow-up time. Results: In total 1,041 cancers occurred among 60,718 Iranian immigrants. The ASRs for all cancers combined were 182.3 and 175.5 per 100,000 person-years among men and women, respectively. For men, this rate was slightly and non-significantly higher than in Iran, while for women the excess (24%) was statistically significant. However, their ASRs were significantly lower than those for native Swedes: men had 37% (95% CI 27- 47%) and women 35% (95% CI 33-37%) lower ASRs. Compared to male Iranians living in Tehran, ASRs of esophageal and gastric cancer were lower while ASRs of colorectal and prostate cancer were higher, and both of the latter increased with time since immigration. In women, the ASR of non-melanoma skin cancer was lower and that of breast cancer higher and increasing. Conclusion: In male first-generation immigrants, incidence rates of esophageal, gastric, colorectal, and prostate cancer change in the direction of prevailing rates in Sweden, likely due to changes in exposure to environmental risk factors. A similar adjustment occurs for breast and non-melanoma skin cancer among female immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer registries are important infrastructure for cancer control programs. However most developing countries lack population based cancer registry. In Iran there cancer incidence is estimated based on pathology-based cancer registry. In this study we evaluated results of the nationwide pathology-based cancer registry in Iran. Materials and Methods: We compared age-standardized incidence rate (ASRs) of all cancers combined among male and female from 2004 to 2006 for the entire country and stratified by 30 provinces. In addition, we compared ASRs of all cancer combined and six common cancers from pathology-based cancer registry with the results of population- based cancer registry conducted in five provinces including Tehran, Aradbil, Kerman, Golestan, and Semnan provinces. Ratio of pathology-based to population-based cancer registries in these provinces perceived as the completeness of pathology-based cancer registry. Results: We found that ASRs among men and women increased from 2004 to 2006. However, the increasing trend was not consistent for all 30 provinces; ASRs increased, decreased on remained stable in different provinces. Completeness of pathology-based cancer registry was about 58% and 64% for men and women, respectively. Among the other, the completeness was extremely low for lung (26%) and esophageal (53%), and stomach (54%) cancers among male and for stomach (54%) and ovary (0.68%) among female. Conclusion: Pathology-based cancer registry underestimates the cancer incidence and cannot be a reliable source for policy making and research. Inclusion of other sources such as death registry and establishment of population-based cancer registry is necessary. We suggest promoting regional population-based registries using standard methods in Iran and other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]