Molecular Epidemiology of Breast Cancer in Iran: A Review Article

Breast cancer (BC) was the most common cancer in Iran, accounting for ۱۲.۹% of all incident cancer, and was the ۵th leading cause of cancer death in ۲۰۲۰. The latest age standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of breast cancer was ۳۵.۸ in Iran and is expected to increase to more than ۷۰ per ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ by the end of ۲۰۳۰. Incidence of breast cancer had a clustering pattern in Iran, while central provinces had the highest ASIR (۷۲ per ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ population), and South East provinces had the lowest ASIR (۵-۱۱ per ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ population). Numerous studies have shown that the peak incidence of breast cancer was occurred in the age group of ۴۰-۴۹ years in Iran. There has also been reported a rapid increase in the incidence in young women from different regions of the country. Known molecular and cellular processes involved in the development of breast cancer in Iranian BCs have been reported from various studies in recent decades, and the most well-known and prominent genes susceptible to breast cancer were BRCA۱ and BRCA۲.  They acted as tumor suppressor genes and inherited mutations leading to chromosomal instability. However, non-coding RNAs, epigenetic alterations, signaling pathways, immune responses, and antioxidant-related genes are the main molecular processes associated with the progression of breast cancer among Iranian patients. While we are facing a significant increase in the incidence of breast cancer, with a lower survival rate, breast cancer is currently considered as one of the major health problems in Iran, which emphasizes the importance of providing and designing prevention and early detection program of breast cancer.