Over 135k contract cancer in Iran per year: Professor
Over 135,000 people are diagnosed with cancer annually in Iran, with estimates indicating a probable 100% increase by 2042, as announced by Mohammad Reza Sohrabi, Vice Chancellor for Research of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
Sohrabi said that skin, breast, colon, and gastric prostate cancers as the most common types in the country, IRNA wrote.
A mid-November 2023 report by IRNA revealed that, of 122,000 premature deaths under 70 years, 34,000 were attributed to cancer. Also, cancer accounted for 11,000 out of 85,000 premature deaths under 50 years in the previous year.
Sohrabi emphasized the importance of preventive measures and early cancer detection, making it a healthcare priority. Screening for common cancers like breast, colon, and cervical cancer is carried out in health facilities along with self-care education.
Cancer was identified as the second leading cause of death globally after cardiovascular diseases, affecting approximately 20 million people annually.
Sohrabi attributed the rise in cancer cases to increased life expectancy, lifestyle changes, and environmental factors.
The deputy director pointed out that life expectancy has risen from around 58 years in the early 1980s to 76 years for men and 78 years for women today. Unhealthy habits such as smoking, consumption of salty, fatty, high-calorie foods, and sedentary behavior were cited as contributing factors to the increase in certain cancers.
Sohrabi called attention to the significance of tobacco use as a major avoidable risk factor for cancer. Environmental factors like increased fossil fuel consumption, pollutants, and harmful chemicals in the workplace were also identified as cancer-causing factors.
Despite the growing cancer incidence, Sohrabi said advancements in treatment methods that have improved patient survival rates.
He noted that “public awareness,” “early detection methods,” and “screenings for identifying cancer in its early stages”.
Motivating citizens to adopt a healthy lifestyle, Sohrabi urged people to use healthcare facilities, comprehensive health service centers for screening and early recognition of
cancers.