Incidence and survival of cancers in the elderly population in Iran: 2001-2005.

OBJECTIVE This study concerns the incidences of different types of registered cancers among the Iranian elderly population. The aim was to estimate the 5-year survival of cancers between 2001 and 2005, according to elderly age groups and history. Since data on the health status of the Iranian elderly are non existent, these findings will, in part, fill the gap in geriatric knowledge in Iran. METHODS Data from the national cancer registry department of the Ministry Health and Medical Education (MOH and ME), which are pathology-based registration data, were used as the main source of information on incident types of cancers in Iran from 2001-2005. The coverage rate was nearly 80% of majority types of cancers and almost 100% of pathologically diagnosed forms of cancers in the elderly. Survival estimates calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. The survival probability was calculated for the overall cohorts, as well as gender and anatomical sites of tumor. RESULTS The highest incidence of cancer in five-year cohort was for skin cancer among the elderly population. The youngest aged group (60-74) years had high incidences (64.3%) of all types of cancers. Incidence rates of breast and thyroid cancers in old women were greater than in elderly men. In terms of survival rate, relative risk reflects significant association with gender (RR= 1.03; 95% CI: 0.84-0.95), P = 0.00. CONCLUSION Based on the results in this study, the incidence of cancers in the elderly population increases with age. The mean age of the five-year survival cohorts was 88.2 years old. The incidence rates of cancers in old men are generally higher than in elderly women.