Cancer in Southern Iran

In a 6-year period (January 1, 1963-December 31, 1968), a total of 3,295 malignant neoplasms essentially derived from the Fars Province, Southern Iran, were diagnosed by biopsy, resection, blood and/or marrow examination, and necropsy. The site-, age- and sex-specific rates for these cancers were compared with the corresponding incidence rates from the Connecticut Registry, adjusted to the age structure of our population. The most common cancers in both sexes were skin, lymph nodes, stomach, female breast, and leukemias. Cancers of pharynx, esophagus, stomach, liver, nasal cavities and sinuses, and conjunctiva occurred more frequently at a younger age in Fars. Gestational choriocar-cinomas were much more common than in Connecticut. Although similar independent figures are not available for Connecticut, it is probable that primary upper small intestinal lymphomas and carcinomas of the renal pelvis were also more common in our region.