Abstract
INTRODUCTION: In Iran, cancer is the third reason of the death and every year 500,000 new cases were detected, and 14% of all death is related to cancer. The most common system that is affected by cancer (after the skin) is gastrointestinal (GI) system. The purpose of the study is evaluation of the 7 years incidence (2002-2008) of the GI cancers in Ilam province in the west of Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, total 307 record health related to the patients affected by the gastro-intestinal system cancer were evaluated after referring to the pathologic centers of the Ilam province and neighboring provinces. Patient's data were recorded from their file based on the standard questionnaire. RESULT: The mean age ± standard deviation of participants was 63.8+1.5. More than half of participants study was men (58.3%). The prevalence of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colorectal cancers was significantly higher in the men than the women (unlike liver cancer) (p<0.001). The most common site of GI cancer were esophagus (38.1%) and stomach (34.2%) but small intestine was allocated the least prevalence (1%) to itself. The most common pathology type of cancer was adenocarcinoma in the GI system (68.1%). CONCLUSION: According to the high prevalence of the GI cancer and also the ascending incidence of the patient with disease in the Ilam province, special measures should be considered for the reduction of the life and property load resulted from this disease. People by introduction of the warning signs of the gastrointestinal system cancer should be screened for GI cancer.