Ovarian cancer is now the world’s fifth leading cause of death by cancer in women. It is also the most common gynecologic malignancy. Sadly enough, ovarian cancer is cureently the eighth most frequent incidence in Iran (Arab). Dr. Maliheh Arab and fellow colleagues conducted a recent study to compare the age standardized incidence rate (ASR) of ovarian cancer in developed countries, such as the United States and Australia, to Iran’s rate, in which Iran’s rate was found to be much lower. They posted their findings in the July-September 2010 issue of the Indian Journal of Cancer. Learning about all aspects, especially medical, of Iran and other Middle East countries is vital if we want to successfully help build their countries up, and while doing so, we might just learn important information we could use to greater our own country.
How did Dr. Arab and his colleagues conduct a study to find this type of information? These researches used the data collected by the Iranian Cancer Registry. This registry reaches the whole country and is pathology-based. The 2004 and 2005 report they used, included seven hundred ninety three new ovarian cancer situations. The researchers categorized their findings of ovarian cancer into ten major groups, including: all ovarian, all epithelial, serous, mucinous, endometrioid, clear cell, other epithelial, germ cell, sex cord-stromal, and other ovarian (Arab). The Iranian National Cancer Registry divided the incidence rate into two categories, the five year groups and the then year groups. The last step is to compare the results to the incidence rate found in the Unites States and then Australia.
The results of the study revealed that out of the seven hundred ninety three cases, the age distribution in Iran was thirty- fifty nine years with the median age for ovarian cancer, was forty-nine years (Arab). The age distribution of Ovarian Cancer in the United States was over sixty years (Arab). This information basically means that younger people are being affected by ovarian cancer in Iran yet, the lowest incidence rate reported was seen in Iran, in all the age groups. The ASRs of ovarian cancer was noted at 2.33 in Iran, 16.23 in the US and 12.2 in Australia (Arab). The findings from Dr. Arab’s study illustrates that ovarian cancer is a very important public health concern for western countries. Ovarian cancer incidence patterns can possibly and reasonably be explained by changes in risk factors of the society. Nulliparity and low parity have been consistently related to ovarian cancer. Also, the protection given by combined oral contraceptives (OCs) against epithelial ovarian cancer has been well established. In 2008, it was reported by the The Iranian Ministry of Health that for every women there are 2.1 births. It is also estimated that 20.9% of married women of reproductive age use OCs in Iran (Arab). Lastly, links between ovarian cancer and diet were discovered. Fats, proteins, and total calories were observed and researches concluded people must watch their intake of these to avoid cancer.
Dr. Arab concludes, Iran must encourage the use of oral contraceptives and encourage a low fat diet that will in result, undoubtedly be effective in decreasing the rate of ovarian cancer or at least keeping it constant for the females of this country.
Arab, Maliheh. "Incidence Rate of Ovarian Cancer in Iran in Comparison with Developed Countries." Indain Journal of Cancer Jul-Sept 47.3 (2010): 322-27. Academic Search Premier. Web.
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