Open AccessNational Study of Opium and Cancer in Iran (IROPICAN): Study Protocol and Results of the Pilot Phase
Author(s) -
Maryam Hadji,
Maryam Marzban,
Mahin Gholipour,
Hamideh Rashidian,
Ahmad NaghibzadehTahami,
AliAkbar Haghdoost,
Abbas Rezaianzadeh,
Afarin RahimiMovaghar,
Abdolvahab Moradi,
Monireh Sadat Seyyedsalehi,
Hossein Poustchi,
Sareh Eghtesad,
Reza Ghiasvand,
Paolo Boffetta,
Marit Bragelien Veierød,
Elisabete Weiderpass,
Farin Kamangar,
Kazem Zendehdel
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of global oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.002
H-Index - 17
ISSN - 2378-9506
DOI - 10.1200/jgo.18.79401
Subject(s) - medicine , opium , cancer , lung cancer , protocol (science) , data collection , colorectal cancer , environmental health , alternative medicine , pathology , statistics , mathematics , political science , law
Background: Several epidemiologic studies have reported that opium consumption is associated with higher risk of cancer and may indeed cause cancer. However, most of these studies were not primarily designed to study the effect of opium on cancer. Therefore, control selection and data collections methods were not optimized for this purpose. Aim: We designed a large multicenter case-control study to specifically investigate the association between opium use and risk of 4 cancer types (i.e., lung, bladder, head and neck and colorectal cancers). We will recruit 800 cases and 800 controls for each cancer in this project. Methods: So far we have collected 70% of the cases and controls. We report here the study protocol and results of the pilot phase. Results: During the pilot phase, we determined that hospital visitors are the most appropriate type of controls; 185 cases and 176 controls were enrolled. Controls are matched to cases for sex, age and place of residence. Collection of data using a comprehensive questionnaire, focused on measuring use of opium and its derivatives, was feasible. Underreporting of opium was estimated to be 30% among controls. Collection of other data, including data tobacco and alcohol use, and nutritional data using a food frequency questionnaire, was feasible. Biologic samples including blood and saliva sample were collected from cancer cases and controls. Results of the pilot phase and validation study were used to optimize the full study protocol and questionnaires. Conclusion: The pilot phase of the study showed that the study is feasible, the best method of control selection is from hospital visitors, and both questionnaire and biologic samples can be collected. In addition of the results from pilot phase, preliminary results from the main phase of this study will be presented.