Estimation of breast cancer burden in Iran in 2003 and its comparison with Eastern Mediterranean region and the World in 2002

Health and its equal distribution among people is one of the major factors of society stability. Reaching this goal would be only possible by proper planning in health, monitoring and evaluating the projects, and interventional planning in different sections. Hence, indexes that describe the burden of diseases and injuries understandably for the managers and planners are necessary. DAL Vs unit (Disability Adjusted Life Years) or the years that are lost because of early death or disability, holds such property. In other words, the sum of the lost life because of early death plus the time passed in disability and infirmity, is quantified by DALVs or the burden of diseases, and is shown for each disease and injury.

An extensive study entitled "Estimation of the burden of diseases and injuries and their risk factors" started in 1382 at deputy for health of Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and the current project which is specified to estimation of the breast cancer burden is a part of that study. In this plan a specific methodology is defined to model the cancers in population and specific software is designed for such work. Breast cancer, the most usual cancer in women, should be significantly noticed. Breast cancer is counted as the most common reason of death in women between 40 and 44. Hence, estimation of its burden and determining its share of the total burden made by all the cancers in Iran, allow the planners to distribute the resources proportionately and evaluate the progress of combat campaigns scientifically and efficiently.

The burden of breast cancer was estimated 0.62 DAL Vs in every thousand of women population in Iran.

The burden of the cancer in Iranian women was low relatively to Eastern Mediterranean region (I.I DALYs/1000) and the whole World (1.99 DALYs/1000), Age peak of breast cancer in Iranian women was in 45-59 and over 80 age groups, The years lost because of early death or disability in 45-59, 60-69 and 70- 79 age groups of Iranian women in every thousand population (DAL Ys/1000) is lower than the same cases in Eastern Mediterranean region and the World.