OBJECTIVES Recent studies have suggested the occurrence patterns and related diet factor of esophagus cancer (EC) and gastric cancer (GC). Incidence of these cancers was mapped either in general and stratified by sex. The aim of this study was to model the geographical variation in incidence of these two related cancers jointly to explore the relative importance of an intended risk factor, diet...

BACKGROUND Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a major health problem in many developing countries including Iran. ESCC has a very poor prognosis, largely due to late diagnosis. As a first step in developing an early detection and treatment program, we conducted a population-based endoscopic screening for ESCC and its precursor lesion, esophageal squamous dysplasia (ESD) in asymptomati...

The earliest reports of high incidence of oesophageal cancer (OC) in the northern parts of Iran date back to the early 1970s. A population-based cancer registry was established in 1969 as a joint effort between Tehran University and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). This registry confirmed the high incidence of OC in the eastern portion of the Caspian Sea littoral, in the ...

BACKGROUND There is a critical role for trace elements in cancer prevention. Since northeast Iran is known as a high risk area for esophageal cancer, this study was designed to compare the serum levels of some trace elements in high and low rate areas of Golestan province. METHODS We used 240 fasting serum samples obtained in 2011 from eastern and western parts of Golestan province during the n...

In the past two decades, increasing consumption of synthetic drugs and its associated side effects has led World Health Organization (WHO) to study the antioxidant activity of this plant. It also conducted an ethno botanical survey of endemic medicinal plants studying its uses by the rural populations in order to prevent and treat many current diseases (1). Achillea species such as Achillea mil...

BACKGROUND During the last decades, the number of dentistry units increased significantly across the country. The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of dental units of Iran provinces regarding dental health inputs and outputs using Data Envelopment Analysis approach. METHODS In this applied descriptive-analytical study, the study population included all of Iran 31 provinces. The o...

Our objectives were to investigate patterns of food and nutrient consumption in Golestan province, a high-incidence area for esophageal cancer (EC) in northern Iran. Twelve 24-h dietary recalls were administered during a 1-yr period to 131 healthy participants in a pilot cohort study. We compare here nutrient intake in Golestan with recommended daily allowances (RDAs) and lowest threshold intak...

BACKGROUND Anogenital distance (AGD) is a feasible and accepted parameter of exogenous or endogenous androgens effects on development of reproductive system. OBJECTIVES Since there is no report on penile length (PL) and AGD in our region, we investigated these parameters in male newborns in Golestan Province, Iran. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this cross-sectional study, we measured stretched PL...

Introduction: Golestan, a province located north of Persian Gulf in northeastern part of Iran is a well known area for high risk of esophageal cancer (EC) in the world. There is no information about healthcare utilization in populations residing in the area. This study was conducted to assess utilization of healthcare and its associated factors among esophageal cancer patients in this region as...