The head of the cancer department of Iran’s Health Ministry reports that the most fatal cancer for men across the country is stomach cancer and for women is breast cancer adding that 90,000 new cancer cases are reported each year.
Speaking at a seminar on colon cancer, Ali Motlagh reported that of the 90,000 new cases of cancer reported in the country each year, 9,000 are breast cancer cases. He stressed, however, that these rates remain below the statistics being reported in other countries in the region.
Air pollution and interference waves to block satellite programs have been cited as factors in the rising number of cancer cases in Iran.
Motlagh also reported that there needs to be more equipment for cancer diagnosis as well as prevention programs.
Motlagh also reported a higher incidence of colon cancer in the northern provinces including Gilan, Mazandaran, Eastern Azerbaijan, Tehran and Semnan, adding that sedentary lifestyles and diet could be a contributing factor to prevalence of this kind of cancer in this region.
