Background & Objective: Breast cancer is the most common cancer occurring among women and the second leading cause of death from cancer among them. The mortality rate of breast cancer is directly related to the stage of the disease when diagnosed, and is reduced by regular breast cancer screening program. This survey is carried out to identify the knowledge, attitude and practice of women in Ardabil about BSE.

 Methods: In this descriptive study, 150 women with 20-25 years of age, were selected through systematic cluster sampling. Knowledge, attitude and practice of them about BSE were investigated through face to face interview, and the obtained data were analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistics.

 Results: 44% of women had some information about breast cancer. 44.7% of them had average information about BSE. There was statistically significant relationship between knowledge of BSE on the one hand and age, marital status and history of previous breast examination on the other. 52% of them believed in BSE for early detection of breast cancer. Their attitude towards BSE was positive (51.3%) and there was a significant relationship between their knowledge and attitude. 18% of the subjects practiced BSE at least once, and their overall practice was in a weak level (46.7%).

 Conclusions: Qualitative researches could be recommended to recognize the factors effective in the improvement of acceptance of breast cancer screening methods among women.

  Background & Objective : Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide and accounts for the majority of their deaths due to the cancer. Hence, diagnosing its risk factors is of great importance. In this study the association between abortion and breast cancer risk was investigated.

  Methods : In this Case- Control study in Mashhad, 105 patients with confirmed breast cancer were compared with 105 healthy women who were living in their neighborhood and were the same age. A questionnaire including demographic information as well as same questions regarding the factors associated with conception and emphasising abortion were used to collect the data, which then were analyzed using SPSS ver 9.

  Results : the findings indicated a relationship between breast cancer and history of abortion, compared to women with no history of abortion (OR=2.09 95% CI=1.18- 3.69). Also there was a significant relationship between the frequency of abortion and breast cancer (P=0.008 ). but odds ratio was not higher among women whose age at first abortion was less than 20 years. Also abortion before first full- term pregnancy increased breast cancer risk (OR= 5.97 95% CI=1.18-19.6). But the age at the time of abortion did not have any effect on the breast cancer risk.

  Conclusions : The findings suggested that the risk of breast cancer has a positive relationship with frequency of abortion and the risk is even higher if the abortion occurs before the first full-term pregnancy. Thus, health interventions seem to be necessary in this regard.

  Background &Objectives: According to a recent report published by the Ministry of Health in Iran gastric cancer is the most common cause of death due to cancer in this country and cardiac cancer is the most common kind of upper GI cancer. This study is an attempt to determine the epidemiology of cardiac cancers in Ardabil.

  Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted for four years (2000-2003) at the only private clinic in Ardabil. The results of endoscopy of these patients including the exact determination of the topography of cancer in cardia and other general information were recorded. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version-10)

  Results: During this study 4356 endoscopy were done and 533 histologically proven upper GI cancer were detected. Out of 533, 242 cases were located at E-G junction area, 82(33.9%), 130 (53.7%) in cardia region and 30(12/4%) cases were located at the proximal bady of stomach. 130(53.7%) cases of tumors were, in the right side of cardia. Bormann classification showed that most of cancers (43.8%) were ulceroinfiltrative.

  Conclusion: Statistical analysis indicated that there is a significant relationship between type and topography of cancer with dysphasia, weight loss and epigasteric pain(p<0.05). The results showed significiant relationship between type and topography of cacers with Bormann classification(p=0.001). Further epidemiologic studies are required to evaluate etiology of cardia cancers in Ardabil.

 Background & Objectives: cervical dysplasia indicates the growth disorder of cervix and is characterized by the appearance of cancerous and precancerous cells in cervix. Cervical dysplasia often has no symptoms but can progress to cervical cancer in 5 % of the cases. Early diagnosis of these pre-invasive lesions with pap smear can prevent, to a great extent, the progress of lesion to cancer. The prevalence of cervical dysplasia is different in different parts of the world and depents, to a great extent, on its etiology. This study was an attempt to determine the prevalence and types of cervical dysplasia in 5000 cases of pap smears.

 Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 5000 cases of pap smears selected randomly from among 8249 pap smears in the period between March 2003 to August 2004. Some samples were studied retrospectively and some others prospectively. The population of the study was composed of women referring to Ardabil health care centers for pop smear test. The data were collected with questionnaires and were analyzed using SPSS software (ver.11).

 Results: Cervical dysplasia was found in 56 cases (1.12%) 0.66% of which was CIN I, 0.3% CIN II and 0.16% CIN III.

 Conclusion: The total percentage of cervical displasia in this study was 1.12%. This prevalence in other similar studies varies between 0.4% in Scotland and 12% in USA. Nevertheless, the prevalence found in this study is in line with most of the similar researches.

  Background & Objectives: Recent studies in Ardabil province indicated that upper GI cancer is the most common kind of cancer in this province. Due to the lack of any study concerning the survival rate of the patients in this province, the present research set out to evaluate the effect of demographic features of GI cancers, risk factors, histopathology type, the site of tumor and treatment on the survival rate of these patients.

  Methods: In this descriptive-analytical and prospective study, we followed up 420 upper GI cancer cases (141 esophagus cancers and 279 stomach cancers) who were initially diagnosed in the only subspeciality GI clinic of Ardabil province during four years from 2000 to 2003.

  Results: The information related to 299 patients was recorded. The dates of death of 55 cases were found referring to the provincial death registration program while the addreses of 67 cases were not found. The 1-4-year survival rates in the patients with upper GI cancer in Ardabil province were 25.9%, 11.1%, 4.5% and 1.8% respectively. In this study men had a lower survival rate than women and patients with esophagus cancer had a longer survival rate. In the patients with stomach cancer "Signet ring cell type" histopathology had the lowest survival rate. The patients who had undergone surgery survived longer than other patients with no resectional surgery treatment. Histopathology grading, age at first diagnosis, positive familial history of GI cancer, as well as cigarette, alcohol and opium consumption had no effect on survival rate of these patients.

  Conclusion: Overall survival rate of our patients is very low this condition might be related to late diagnosis and less treatment facilities in Ardabil province.

 Background & Objectives: Cryptosporidium is a coccidial protozoa parasite belonging to subphylum of Apicomplexa. Although it is globally widespread and its species exist all over the world, this parasite was unknown until several years ago. Nowadays it is considered as an important infective agent in Immunocompromised hosts especially patients with AIDS. Due to high mortality rate of this infection in immunocompromised and cancerous patients and because of the popularity of Urmia as one of the animal husbandry regions in Iran and since this disease is likely to transfer from animals to human beings this study was conducted to determine the rate of contamination with this parasite.

 Methods: This case-control study was performed on 72 children (case) with cancer who referred to oncology clinic of Urmia Imam Hospital during 2001. Another 30 children with normal immune system were selected as controls. To determine the amount of contamination with parasite, two fecal specimens were collected from each patient. After being concentrated with Formalin–Ether, these specimens were examined using modified acid fast method.

 Results: Three cases of�cryptosporidiosis was seen in the patients (4.16%). Of these, there were 2 patients from the rural area and 1 from urban region. There was no significant relationship between the presence of cryptosporidiosis and living in rural or urban areas.

 Conclusion: Cryptosporidium was detected in three cases of the patients under study who were undertaking chemotherapy. However since the population under study was small, no statistically significant relationship was found between being immunocompromised and contamination with parasite.

 Background & Objectives: Breast Cancer is among the most common types of cancer in women which in case of early diagnosis and treatment can increase women’s chance of survival. This study was performed in two case and control groups.

 Methods: This case-control study which was based on hospital records was conducted on 303 breast cancer patients and 303 control women. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS using Chi-square.

 Results: The study revealed that there were significant differences between the cases and controls with regard to knowledge (p<0.001) and practice (p<0.001) of breast self-examination. 61% of the cases and 32% of the controls mentioned BSE as a necessary measure for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. 76% of the cases and 47% of the controls were not aware of the proper time for BSE (p<0.001). More than two-third of the subjects in each group did not know the proper time and the necessity of BSE in menopause and pregnant women and these was a statistically significant difference between two groups in this regard (p<0.001). Women in case group had done more frequently than controls (p<0.04). Moreover, the BSE intervals in two groups was statistically significant (p<0.01). There was also a significant difference between the reasons of refusing to do BSE in two groups (p<0.05). Subjects in neither group had regularly referred to a physician for examination and early diagnosis.

 Conclusion:�Since the knowledge and practice of women and their referring to a physician for breast examination is inadequate, it seems necessary to devise educational program about doing monthly BSE and hold educational courses to promote women’s knowledge concerning the early diagnosis of breast cancer as well as its appropriate and regular performance.

  Background & Objectives: According to a recent report published by the ministry of health, Esophageal cancer is the second most common fatal cancer in Ardabil. This study investigated the relationship between anatomical sites and pathological features of Esophagus cancer with related risk factors.

  Methods: This descriptive-cross-secional and prospective study was conducted on patients referring to GI clinic of Ardabil (Aras) between 2000-2003. Patients with suspicious upper GI symptoms underwent upper GI vide-endoscopy. At least five to six endoscopic punch biopsies were obtained from all the lesions and sent for pathology. Diagnosis was confirmed by pathology. Anatomical sites, demographic information of the patients (age, sex, educational state, residential area) smoking habit, alcohol and opium consumption were entered into the questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using the EPI 2000 statistical software.

 Results: The mean age of the patients with cancer was 59 ± 11.64 years and the male to female ratio was 1:1. Villagers constituted 117 (77%) of the patients. 93.4% of these patients were illiterate. The cancers were of the following types: 126 (82.9%) SCC, 25 (16.4%) adenocarcinoma and 1(0.7%) in situ carcinoma. The most common site of esophageal SCC cancer was middle third of esophagus with 73 (48%) patients. In contrast the most common site of adenocarcinoma in 31 (20%) patients was lower third of esophagus. No meaningful relationship was found between esophageal cancer and smoking drinking or opium consumption.

  Conclusion: The findings indicated that unlikewestern countries esophagus cancer had no relationship with smoking or alcohol consumption in Ardabil. Other studies are recommended to be performed to find out more about relationship between known esophageal risk factors including nutritional habits, nitrosamines, soil contents, agricultural products and genetic background.

 Background & Objective: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) develop as recognition and defense against malignant cells by the host immune system. T cells are the most tumor infiltrating immune cells. There are controversial data about intratumor T cells and many have proposed diverse mechanisms for dysfunction of TILs. The aim of this study is analyzing Tumor Infiltrating T lymphocytes in patients with breast cancer by immunophenotyping.

 Methods: Sixteen women suffering from breast cancer were examined thirteen of them were confirmed histologically to be invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). Tissue samples from patients and matched control group were processed for analysis by flow cytometry.

 Results: Results indicated that human breast cancer contain variable numbers of TILs. No significant changes in the percent of intratumor CD45⁺, CD3⁺ and CD3⁺/CD45⁺ cells were observed between studied group. Also there were no significant differences between cancer patients (group 1 and 2) and control group in the case of infiltration and activation status of T cells subpopulations. CD4⁺ cells in IDC patients and CD8⁺ cells in patients with other tumors (ILC+AMC) were the most infiltrated TILs. Intratumor TCD8⁺ cells expressed HLA-DR markers significantly more than CD25 as activation marker. In this investigation we could not find any correlation between TIL and both size and clinical stages of tumor.

 Conclusion: An immune infiltrate is an invariable finding in breast cancers, with considering the activation marker expression, TIL may be activated, albeit partially. Understanding the insensitive and/or suppressive nature of cancer cells to the immune system may provide important insights into tumor escape mechanisms as well as the development of anti-cancer strategies.

  Background & Objective: As cancer of cervix is one of the important facts, for women and probably causes in presence, furthermore early diagnosis and management in primary stages is very effective for prognosis of the disease and survival, the aim of the study was to measure the probable relationship of contraraceptive devices with cervical lesions.

 Methods: This study was a descriptive analytic study that was done by referring to all pathologic center (6 centers) in Ardabil and reviewing 399 reports of pap smear through sampling method (one of them because of chemotherapy was excluded from the samples)

 Results: In this study 90 persons 22.5% of pop smear’s study were normal and 309 persons 77.5% were abnormal that include nonspecific cervicitis (298 persons) specific cervicitis (192 persons) and epithelial cell abnormality (105 persons) Regarding the use of contraceptive devices, 15 persons didn't use any device 3.8% And 172 persons 43% were using one of the natural methods or tubal ligation, and 131 persons were using OCP pills 32.9% 63 persons were using IUD 15.8% 18 persons 4.5% were using condom, and also DMPA was not used. Through chi test it was found that there was significant relationship between contraceptive methods and epithelial cell abnormality (p=0.008) and imperavite cervicitis (p=0.001). There was a meaningful relationship.

 Conclusion: There was a meaningful relationship between using contraceptive methods and nonspecific cervicitis.

  Background and Objectives: Gastric cancer is the most incident disease in Iran that leads to death. This study was designed to evaluate the oxidative and antioxidative status in patients with gastric cancer by detecting paraoxonase 1 and arylesterase activities together with the level of malondialdehyde. The purpose of the present investigation was determination of Paraoxonase /Arylesterase activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the serum of patients with Gastric cancer.

  Methods: In a case-control study, 20 subjects who diagnosed as gastric cancer individuals that referred to Ardabil Aras Clinic were selected from 2008 up to 2009. The case groups were matched with control group (30 subjects). Arylesterase and paraoxonase activities of paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), MDA levels and lipid profile were determined spectrophotometrically in serum of subjects.

  Results: Upon matching of case and control groups, paraoxonase and arylesterase activities in patients with gastric cancer showed to be significantly lower than healthy subjects (190 ± 68.95 IU/L vs 258 ± 68.59 IU/L, 30.5 ± 28.4 U/L vs 284.23 ± 163.2 U/L respectively, P ≤ 0.001). Standardized activities of paraoxonase and arylesterase of case group were lower than controls (P ≤ 0.001). MDA levels have revealed significant increasing in cases than controls. In present study, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels were found to decrease in patient sera too, but the levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol didn’t show to be different between two groups.

  Conclusion: It was concluded that in patients with gastric cancer, oxidative stress was raised by attenuation of antioxidant system and oxidant levels rising.

  Background & Objectives: Breast cancer is one third of all kinds of cancers and the second reason of death in women. Prevention and screening can decrease affection and death rate. The aim of this study was to determine the breast cancer screening tests performance and affecting factors in women referred to Ardabil’s Health and Medical Centers in 2009 .

  Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, 300 women referring to Ardabil’s Health and Medical Centers were chosen by multistage sampling. The information was collected through the researcher-made questionnaire including two parts: Knowledge and Attitude questions and a form about demographical characteristics, family, social and economic factors, risk and women-midwifery factors. For analyzing the data, SPSS software version 16, and descriptive and deductive statistic tests were used .

  Results: The percentage of screening tests including self-examination, clinical examination and mammography consequently were 4%, 4.7% and 3.7%. There was significant relationship between breast self-examination and education (p =0.003), knowledge (p =0/002) and attitude (p=0.004). No significant difference was observed between insurance status and history of hormone therapy and breast cancer screening tests.

  Conclusion: In regard to the low rate of breast cancer screening conducted and determining the affecting factors, the appropriate educational programs and interventional research are emphasized .

 Background and objectives: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting are the most important complications for cancer patients. Ginger is an effective herbal drug for the treatment of nausea and vomiting. It hasn’t any known side effects. In some countries, it is used for making of antiemetic drugs. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ginger on the intensity of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients .

 Method: This study is a randomized, cross-over, double – blinded, clinical trial that was done on 44 cancer patients undergone chemotherapy. In the first cycle of the study, patients were assigned by four block random allocation to receive one of the antiemetic regimens regimen A (routine and 1gr ginger) and regimen B (routine and 1gr placebo). After 28 days, in the next cycle of chemotherapy, another regimen was administrated A or B plus chemotherapy drugs., the severity of the nausea and vomiting was measured in 4h (1, 2, 3, 4) after second dose and at the end of the 24h after receiving the first dose by using VAS and kortila tools .The data were analyzed by independent student t - test and non-parametric test (Mann-Whitney U test) by using SPSS, version 16 software .

 Results: The results showed that the frequencies of nausea and vomiting in two regimen groups weren’t different, but nausea score was significantly decreased in ginger group, compared to placebo. Independent student t - test and Mann-Whitney U test also revealed a significant difference on nausea scores in 3rd and 24th hour post chemotherapy (p=0.06, p=0.01, respectively).

 Conclusion: In respect to low nausea score in ginger regimen, compared to placebo, it seems ginger using is a safe and simple method and it can be used as antiemetic drugs in patient undergoing chemotherapy

  Background & Objectives: Consumption of ω3 fatty acids supplementation inhibits oxidative stress injury, increases activity of antioxidant enzymes and decreases lipid peroxidation in gastric cancer patients. In this study, we examined effects of ω-3 fatty acid intakes on oxidative stress in gastric cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

  Methods: This double blind clinical trial study was conducted on 30 adult patients (15 cases and 15 controls) with gastric cancer during chemotherapy in Ardabil city in 2010. Case and control groups were selected by randomized allocation. Three grams ω -3 fatty acid supplementation (1.8 g EPA & 1.2 g DHA in 10 g fish oil) and placebo were given case and control groups for 45 days, respectively. Anthropometric indices (weight, height & BMI) were measured. Blood samples were taken and then biochemical factors including triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, MDA, and total antioxidants were evaluated at the beginning, middle and end of the study . The data were analyzed by using Paired sample t-test, Independent sample t-test and repeated measures test.

  Results: MDA, Weight and BMI of omega group after intervention were significantly more than control group at the end of the study (p<0.05). Weight and BMI were decreased but serum MDA was significantly increased in control group during the study (p<0.05). Weight, BMI , and total antioxidants were significantly increased in omega group during day 30-45, (p<0.05). There were no significant differences in other biochemical factors at the end of study.

  Conclusion: The present investigation shows administration of ω3 fatty acid supplements to gastric cancer patients during chemotherapy increases the total antioxidants capacity and prevents the enhancement of oxidative stress.

  Background & Objectives : Breast cancer is among the most frequent disorders among the world. BRCA1 gene was known as a tumor suppressor gene which its loss could be resulted in various destructions in genome. Therefore, changes occurred in its expression level could lead to increasing the effects of oncogene activity on breast cells.

  Methods : RT-PCR and Q-RT-PCR were used for detecting BRCA1 expression status among 27 primary affected breast cancer patients. The association between its expression status and histopathologic data had been evaluated by statistical assays.

  Results: Eighty-five percent of patients showed BRCA1 expression and this expression as well as its quantity had significant associations with tumor grade. It was found that tumors with low levels of BRCA1 expression tend to have higher grades.

  Conclusion : BRCA1 has an important role in suppressing breast tumorogenesis. Corresponding to some of the previous reports, our findings revealed the role of decreasing in BRCA1 expression level as one of the factors which allows tumors to progress.

  Background & Objectives: Chemotherapeutics induce side effects in patients with cancer . In animal models the intake of ω₃ fatty acids during chemotherapy can increase the impact of chemotherapy drugs and reduce their side effects . This study was aimed to determine the fish oil�intake on side effects of chemotherapy drugs in patients with gastric cancer.

  Methods: A double blind clinical trial study on 30 adult volunteer patients (15 experiments and 15 controls) with gastric cancer was conducted during chemotherapy in Ardabil, Iran, during 2010-2011 . Experimental and control groups were selected by randomized allocation. About 3 grams ω-3 fatty acid supplementation (1.8 g Eicosapentaenoic acid & 1.2 g Docosapentaenoic acid ) and placebo were given to experimental and control groups for 6 weeks, respectively . Then, the results of data were collected at the beginning, 4 and 6 weeks after intervention of ω3/placebo in both groups and analyzed by using descriptive statistics , Chi -Square , Independent sample t-test and Cochran^,s Q test.

  Results: The results of this study showed that there were significant differences of nausea in both group of patients at the end of 6 weeks (p<0.05). A bdominal cramp and nausea significant ly decreased in experimental group during the study (p<0.05). Hair loss , vomiting and diarrhea were reduced in experimental group during the study, but these differences were not statistically significant . There were no significant differences in vomiting , diarrhea and hair loss between two groups at the end of intervention.

  Conclusion: The present study showed that the intakes of fish oil strongly reduce side effects of chemotherapy drugs such as nausea and abdominal cramp. So, this oil supplementation appears to be harmless and useful in patients with gastric cancer during chemotherapy .