Background and Aim: Cancers have a special place in health programs because of the costs of diagnosis and treatment as well as their irreversible complications. Distribution of diseases and their relationship with certain geographical areas is a confirmed subject producing a scientific background for medical geography. This study aimed to determine the five-year incidence of gastric cancer and its relationship with geographical factors in Khuzestan Province between 2009 and 2013.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study we assessed the incidence rate and relationship of gastric cancer with environmental, geographic and climatic factors. The study included all patients with gastric cancer in Khuzestan Province, between 2009 and 2013. The demographic and pathologic data of the patients had been recorded in a comprehensive cancer registration system. Using SPSS version 16, data were analyzed by independent T-test, Kruskai-Wallis test and ANOVA. Mapping of climatic factors was performed by Arc GIS.ver10.3 software.

Results: 1587 patients with gastric cancer had been recorded between 2009 and 2013 in the province's comprehensive cancer registration system. The mean age of the patients was 62.57± 14.17 years. 1047 patients (66%) were male, and 540 (34%) were female. The cumulative incidence of gastric cancer, was estimated as 35 per hundred thousand people. The relationship between gastric cancer and mean rainfall was statistically significant (p: 0.04).

Conclusion: The incidence rates of gastric cancer in different regions of the Khuzestan Province were not the same which can be related to the demographic variables as well as different geographic and climatic factors. Therefore, in order to identify the related risk factors in different regions further epedemeological  and etiological studies are recommended.

Key words: Incidence rate, Gastric cancer, GIS, Geographical factors.

Received: Oct 26, 2016      Accepted: Dec 23, 2016