Marked increase in breast cancer incidence in young women: A 10-year study from Northern Iran, 2004�2013

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women worldwide. Breast cancer incidence in young women is a health issue of concern, especially in middle-income countries such as Iran. The aim of this study is to report the breast cancer incidence variations in Golestan province, Iran, over a 10-year period (2004�2013). Methods: We analyzed data from the Golestan Population-based Cancer Registry (GPCR), which is a high-quality cancer registry collecting data on primary cancers based on standard protocols throughout the Golestan province. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASRs) and age-specific incidence rates per 100,000 person-years were calculated. Time trends in ASRs and age-specific rates were evaluated using Joinpoint regressions. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) with correspondence 95 confidence intervals (95CIs) were calculated. Results: A total of 2106 new breast cancer cases were diagnosed during the study period. Most cases occurred in women living in urban areas: 1449 cases (68) versus 657 cases (31) in rural areas. Statistically significant increasing trends were observed over the 10-year study period amongst women of all ages (AAPC = 4.4; 95CI: 1.2�7.8) as well as amongst women in the age groups 20�29 years (AAPC = 10.0; 95CI: 1.7�19.0) and 30�39 years (AAPC = 5.1; 95CI: 1.4�9.0). Conclusion: The incidence of breast cancer increased between 2004 and 2013 in Golestan province amongst all age groups, and in particular amongst women aged 20�39 years. Breast cancer should be considered a high priority for health policy making in our community. © 2019 Elsevier Lt