Premature mortality of gastrointestinal cancer in Iran: trends and projections 2001-2030

Investigating the mortality trend of gastrointestinal cancers in Babol, North Iran (2013-2021)

BACKGROUND AND AIM

This study aims to examine the mortality rate and trend of gastrointestinal cancers, particularly gastric cancer, as the leading cause of death among cancers in northern Iran over a 9-year period. In light of the changing incidence and mortality rates of cancer in Iran and around the world, the importance of these diseases in people's lives, and the necessity of updating and monitoring the trend of cancer mortality, we have decided to report on the mortality trend of gastrointestinal cancers, based on crude and age-standardized rates.

METHOD

This study is a cross-sectional examination of deaths caused by gastrointestinal cancers in Babol city, Iran, between 2013 and 2021. Data was collected from the cause of death registration and classification system of Babol University of Medical Sciences. Population estimation was obtained from the latest census reports. The crude and age-standardized mortality rates and trends of the cancers were calculated.

RESULTS

Overall, there were 1345 deaths from gastrointestinal cancers with an average age of 69.11 ± 14.25 years. The crude and age-standardized rates of these cancers rose from 24.1 to 20.1 per hundred thousand people in 2012 to 29.5 and 25.5 per hundred thousand people, respectively. This trend became more prevalent significantly with the increase of each decade of age for both men (P-value Trend = 0.002) and women (P-value Trend = 0.012). An analysis of gastrointestinal cancers revealed a decreasing trend for cancers of the small intestine, an increasing trend for cancers of the colon, pancreas, and gallbladder, and a stable trend for the remaining cancers over the study period.

CONCLUSION

The age-standardized rate and the number of gastrointestinal cancers is rising, highlighting the importance of preventative measures such as screening, increasing public awareness, and appropriate diagnostic methods.

The Trend of Years of Life Lost due to Gastrointestinal Cancers in Fars (Iran) 2004-2019

Background

Gastrointestinal cancers can cause major health problems globally since their burden is increasing in many countries. We aimed to investigate the trend of years of life lost due to gastrointestinal cancers in Fars Province, southern Iran during the 2004-2019.

Methods

In this cross-sectional survey study, we obtained the information regarding all deaths due to gastrointestinal cancers in Fars Province from the electronic population-based death registration system (EDRS). Years of Life Lost (YLL) was calculated using the YLL template of 2015 by the WHO. To examine the trend for different years, join point regression based on the log-linear model was used. Joinpoint regression analysis describes changing trends over successive periods of time and the increasing or decreasing rate within each period.

Results

During the years of 2004-2019, 9742 deaths due to gastrointestinal cancers occurred in Fars Province. 6013 (61.72%) cases were male and 3729 (38.28%) cases were female (Male / Female Sex Ratio: 1.61). Overall, 4152 cases (42.63%) were due to gastric cancer and 2112 cases (21.68%) were due to liver cancer. Total years of life lost due to premature death from gastrointestinal cancers during the 16-year study period was 73565 yr (2.33 per 1000 persons) in men, 52766 yr (1.71 per 1000 persons) in women, and 126331 yr (2.02 per 1000 persons) in both sexes.

Conclusion

Among all cancers, the highest mortality rates in both sexes belong to gastric cancer. This study showed the trend of YLL rate of malignant neoplasms of liver and intrahepatic bile ducts, esophagus, oral cavity, and colon cancer were increasing in both sexes, however, the trend of YLL rate for malignant neoplasms of the small intestine was decreasing in both sexes. Variation of GI cancers patterns and trends around the Fars Province indicated that a more comprehensive control plan is needed to control these variations.

Burden of upper gastrointestinal cancers in the east of Golestan province (Golestan cohort study)

BACKGROUND

Cancers, especially Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers (UGCs), pose a substantial burden on society, particularly in developing nations. Golestan province, Iran, is known for its high UGC rates globally.

AIMS

This study delves into the disease burden of UGCs in the eastern part of Golestan province.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study was conducted using the results of the Golestan cohort study. 2711 patients participating in this cohort, who visited Atrak Clinic during 2001-2020, participated in this study. After excluding patients with incomplete records, 2481 patients were included in the study. To compute the metrics of years of life lost (YLL), years of life lived with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted life years (DALY), we utilized the World Health Organization's standard life table, stratified by age and gender. The majority of UGC patients in our study were married (81.8%), had limited formal education (82.6%), and were predominantly male (61.1%). A substantial proportion resided in suburban areas (85.8%), and over half of the patients (52%) reported a history of drug addiction. The mean age at diagnosis for men was 65.76 years with a standard deviation of 11.34, while for women, it was 64.38 years with a standard deviation of 11.66. Regarding disease impact, YLL, YLD, and DALY for men were 21 240, 1956, and 23 196 (307.8 per 100 000), respectively. For women, these figures were 15 609 for YLL, 1367 for YLD, and 16 976 (223.1 per 100 000) for DALY.

CONCLUSION

After the increasing trend of the burden of UGCs in Golestan province in the early years of the study, this rate has been decreasing in recent years. Effective strategies necessitate collaborative efforts across various sectors to alleviate this burden, focusing on preventive measures, timely diagnosis, and well-coordinated therapeutic interventions.

Gastrointestinal and Pancratohepatobiliary Cancers: A Comprehensive Review on Epidemiology and Risk Factors Worldwide

A significant number of cancer cases are afflicted by gastrointestinal cancers annually. Lifestyle and nutrition have a huge effect on gastrointestinal function, and unhealthy habits have become quite widespread in recent decades, culminating in the rapid growth of gastrointestinal cancers. The most prevalent cancers are lip and mouth cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver and bile duct cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer. Risk factors such as red meat consumption, alcohol consumption, tea, rice, viruses such as Helicobacter pylori and Ebstein Bar Virus (EBV), along with reduced physical activity, predispose the gastrointestinal tract to damage and cause cancer. According to the rapid increase of cancer incidence and late diagnosis of gastrointestinal malignancies, further epidemiological researches remain necessary in order to make appropriate population-based preventive policies. In this study, we reviewed clinical symptoms, risk factors, preventative measures, as well as incidence and mortality rates of gastrointestinal malignancies worldwide with focus on Iranian population.