TEHRAN - Iranian women seem to develop breast, cervical, uterus and ovarian cancers one decade earlier than the women around the world, head of Shahid Beheshti Medical Science University Alireza Zali said on the sidelines of a conference on women cancers.

One out of every eight Iranian women was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40-55, Zali said.

Smoking, obesity, increase in trans fatty acid level, which reflects processed food consumption and low levels of physical activity increases the cancer risk, breast in especial, Zali added.

According to Zali, exercising regularly, controlling weight – levels of BMI - and avoiding smoking decreases the risk of heart and vascular diseases as well as cancers for women.

Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer death.

Among women, breast cancer is by far the most common cause of cancer both in incidence and death. The number of cases worldwide has significantly increased since the 1970s, a phenomenon partly blamed on modern lifestyles.

... Payvand News - 04/22/08 ...