Cancer Prevalence and Risk Factors in a Province in the Mediterranean Region, Turkey

OBJECTIVE This study aims to reflect the latest information about cancer frequencies and involving factors in Mersin province, Turkey. METHODS A questionnaire with 40-item consisting of 18 questions regarding demographic characteristics, the behavior of lifestyle and health issues, 12 questions regarding health status, and 10 questions about the health of nearby was applied by interviewers using face to face method to 9547 participants. RESULTS Out of 9547 participants, 122 of them (1.3%) was cancer patients, while 9425 (98.7%) were not diagnosed with cancer. Average time since cancer diagnosis was 6.4 +/- 4.9 years. Out of 122 people that had cancer, 24 people (19.7%) did not receive any cancer treatment. The most common incident sites of cancer were breast, prostate and lung. There was a significant relation between cancer and smoking, alcohol consumption, having a chronic disease, having a relative died from cancer and ever being have a cancer scan. CONCLUSION Concentrating in regions that need more service and risky areas and increasing cancer training and screening activities should be done. In the light of this research, similar studies in the future will help to track cancer status and varying service needs.