epidemiology of colorectal cancer in isfahan province

background: the aim of this study was to assess epidemiology of colorectal cancer (crc) in isfahan, iran. materials and methods: data were gathered from hospital documents of hospital admissions for colonoscopy, surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy due to colorectal cancer during 1996-2003. results: 1100 cases with colorectal cancer in seven years were detected and reviewed. our minimum incidence rate estimation was 1.3 per 100,000 in 1996, 3.7 /100,000 in 2001 and 3.1 / 100,000 in 2003. one third of crc cases were diagnosed between thirties to fifties in both genders in our province with a peak incidence in the fifties for females and in the sixties for males. crc in more than 85% of the patients was left sided. the one, five and seven year's survival rates were 97%, 43% and 21% respectively. a significant lower survival rate was seen in right colon in oppose to the left colon (13% vs. 40%) (p‹0.05) after five years of follow up. conclusions: incidence of crc in isfahan proviene is increasing. rectum is the most common site (61.6%) for crc. many of iranians who have crc are young regarding to fact program, screening is recommended earlier than western countries.