Incidence Trends of Gastric Cancer in Southern Iran: Adenocarcinoma and Non-cardia Gastric Cancer Are More Rising Among Younger Ages.

Abstract

Gastric Cancer (GC) is still one of the major causes of cancer mortality. Due to health-related transitions, the epidemiology of GC subtypes may change. These changes may have profound effects on clinical approaches as well as on public health management of GC. Iran, as a developing country, has experienced huge demographic and epidemiological transitions duringthe recent decades. This study aimed to investigate thesubtype-specific population-based incidence trends of GC in southern Iran. We used data on GC incidence in southern Iran during 2001-2015. Data preparation and subtype grouping were done based on the ICD-O-3. Thetrends of Age-Standardized incidence Rate (ASR), truncated ASRs, incidence rate of adenocarcinoma, and cardia GC, and age-gender specific rates were analyzed using joinpoint regression modeling. Annual Percentage Change (APC) and its 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were estimated. Overall APC was estimated as 7.2 for males and 8.7 for females. Theestimated APCs for thetrends of overall GC, and gastric adenocarcinoma were stable in both genders during 2009-2015. Nonetheless, cardia GC showed increasingtrends in both genders. The estimated APCs for thetrends of non-cardia GC was also stable. The overall trends of the GCincidence in southern Iran were stable during the past decade. However, significant and different changeshave occured in the pattern of GC. Thus,etiological and prognostic studies are needed for theimprovement of GC managementin Iran.