TREND OF THE INCIDENCE OF BRAIN CANCER IN IRAN AND IT'S 6 GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS DURING 2000-2005.

Background: Brain cancer is an illness with serious symptoms and poor prognosis. Tumors of the central nervous system is about 2% of all cancers with mortality rate about 4.2-5.4 per 100,000 persons per year worldwide. This study evaluates the incidence during 2000 to 2005 in 6 geographical areas in Iran using national cancer registry data. Materials and Methods: Data from the cancer registry system in Iran during 2000 to 2005 was extracted. Incidence rates were standardized directly using WHO population and also 95% confidence intervals were calculated in STATA. The significant incidence of changes over the years under study were tested by Poisson regression models. Results: The age-standardized incidence rate of brain cancer, in 2000 in men and women respectively reached from 0.6 and 0.4 per 100000 to 2.4 and 1.6 per 100000 in 2005. The highest incidence rate of brain cancer seen in the provinces of mountains areas and the lowest rate seen in the province settled in Central and Western area of the Caspian Sea. Trends incidence in all geographic areas of the country is rising despite the difference in slope. Ratios of male to female was 1.54 and the mean age of patients was 39.2 with a standard deviation of 19.6. Conclusion: In general, along with other cancers, the incidence of brain cancer is growing in all geographic regions in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]