BY Faranak Bakhtiari

World Cancer Day: national plans to improve patients’ lives

TEHRAN – Iran has developed several national cancer control programs since the Iranian calendar year 1392 (March 2013- March 2014), for reducing prevalence and mortality while improving the quality of patients’ lives, deputy health minister has stated.

8-year-old boy battling cancer achieves dream of becoming a fireman

TEHRAN – Arian, an eight-year-old boy suffering from cancer, got to fulfill his wish of becoming a firefighter.

Cancer mortality in Iran declining over past decade

TEHRAN – Over the past decade, the rate of mortality as a result of cancer has been declining in Iran, a senior advisor to the Iranian health minister has said.

HRW says Iran's healthcare system threatened by U.S. sanctions

When Ghazal had an operation at a hospital in Tehran to remove a tumor from her thigh, she hoped surgeons could take the whole growth out.

Stem cell donation centers to be set up nationwide

TEHRAN – Stem cell donation centers will be established in all provinces across the country, Health Minister Saeed Namaki has said.

U.S. rejects Iran's Zarif request to visit UN envoy at New York hospital

The United States rejected a request by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to visit Iran’s United Nations ambassador in a New York hospital where he is being treated for cancer, the U.S. State Department and Iranian UN mission said on Friday, Reuters reported.

Mahak founder receives Muslim World Rania Award 2019

TEHRAN – The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) granted the Muslim World Rania Award to Saeedeh Ghods, the founder of MAHAK, a charity society dedicated to treating pediatric cancer in Iran, the public relations department of MAHAK reported.

75 early cancer detection centers operating nationwide

TEHRAN -- A total of 75 centers for early cancer detection were established across the country during the past Iranian calendar year (March 2018-March 2019), Ali Qanbari-Motlaq, head of the Health Ministry’s cancer control department said on Saturday.

Iranian sports journalist battling cancer defines family as true love

TEHRAN - Cancer seems to be the end of the road for many but not for the Iranian sports journalist Mehdi Shadmani, who says the disease has helped him discover the true love for his family, especially his wife.

By staff and agency

That U.S. sanctions are harming Iranians patients is not a mythology: Foreign Policy

In an article published by Foreign Policy on Wednesday, it has been illustrated that how sanctions are taking tolls Iranian patients.

Smoking causes 30% of cancer deaths in Iran: expert

TEHRAN -- About 30% of cancer-related deaths in Iran are caused by smoking cigarettes, the vice president of Ahvaz’s Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences for health affairs announced, ISNA reported on Thursday.

Why subsidized forex is still used for tobacco?

TEHRAN- It might be hard to believe that cigarettes are among the products that are imported using subsidized foreign currency, Deputy Health Minister Alireza Raisi has said.

MAHAK has supported 4,555 children with brain tumor during the past 28 years

TEHRAN-- Brain tumors are one of the most common cancers in children. This disease has numerous symptoms and if it is diagnosed in primary stages it can be controlled and treated to a great extent. 

Health ministry revealed data on cancer amongst Iranians

TEHRAN – Iranian health ministry announced highest rate of ten most common cancers in each province according to statistics of the Iranian calendar year 1394 (March 2015- March 2016), deputy health minister Reza Malekzadeh announced.

First cardio-oncology research center in Asia to open in Tehran

TEHRAN- First cardio-oncology research center in Asia will soon start operating in Shahid Rajaee teaching hospital in Tehran, said a member of hospital’s academic board.

‘About 120,000 cases of cancer diagnosed in Iran last year’

TEHRAN – Some 115,000 to 120,000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Iran during the past Iranian calendar year 1397 (ended on March 20, 2019), the president of the Iranian Society of Radiation and Oncology announced, Mehr reported on Monday.

Iran, first in Middle East to do stem cell transplant on HIV patient 

TEHRAN- Blood stem cell transplant was carried out for the first time in Iran and the Middle East for treating cancer on a patient infected by HIV virus, Young Journalists Club reported on Wednesday. 

Free health facility for cancer patients under construction 

TEHRAN- A free specialized care center for cancer patients will start operation by the end of the current [Iranian calendar] year (March 2020), said Fatemeh Hashemi, the head of Charity Foundation for Special Diseases. 

Iran succeeds in production of 4 new cancer, diabetes drugs

TEHRAN — Two new cancer medications as well as two drugs for treatment of diabetes were unveiled in a knowledge-based pharmaceutical company in Alborz province on Tuesday morning.

Hot tea raising esophageal cancer risk in Golestan province

TEHRAN — A new study has revealed that drinking hot tea has substantially increased the prevalence of esophageal cancer in Iranian province of Golestan, said the deputy health minister for research, technology and medical education. 

Using Yttrium-90 for liver cancer therapy in clinical stage

TEHRAN- Iran is in clinical stage of producing Yttrium-90 resin microspheres, a radiopharmaceutical that can substantially help liver cancer treatment. 

Very first linear particle accelerator made in Iran

TEHRAN- Iran’s very first linear particle accelerator, a device mainly used for treatment of cancer patients, was produced by Behyaar Sanaat Sepahan, a knowledge-based company based in Isfahan, announced the company’s managing director.  

Cancer costs constitute 2% of Iran’s health care spending 

TEHRAN — Cancer medical costs are even higher than cardiovascular diseases as they constitute 2% of the country’s health care spending, deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi has said. 

National network of NGOs and charities for cancer plans to join UICC

TEHRAN — Joining the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) has been a matter of importance for the members of Iran’s national network of NGOs and charities for cancer, CEO of MAHAK, a charity society dedicated to treating pediatric cancer in Iran, has said. 

‘Iranian traditional medicine effective on reducing cancer pain’

TEHRAN — Iranian traditional medicine can effectively help in reducing pain among patients with cancer, head of Iranian Society of Radiotherapy Oncology has said.

Production of 5 drugs for refractory, rare diseases increased 

TEHRAN — Production volume of five pharmaceutical products for refractory and rare diseases has risen by 25 percent in a biopharmaceutical company in the province of Alborz, IRIB reported on Saturday. 

Half of cancers preventable, half treatable: health official  

TEHRAN — While nearly 56,000 people die of cancer per annum half of all cancers are preventable and the other half are treatable, deputy health minister Reza Malekzadeh has said. 

3-5% of cancers occur among children: health official 

TEHRAN— Only three to five percent of cancers occur among children, head of the cancer department at the Ministry of Health has said.

75 early cancer detection centers to be inaugurated

TEHRAN- 75 early cancer detection centers will start operation on January 27 nationwide on the occasion of the national cancer week, said Ali Motlaq, the head of cancer department at the Ministry of Health. 

National campaign to fight cancer launched in Iran 

TEHRAN — A national campaign to combat cancer, aiming to increase hope among the patients as well as public awareness about the disease, has been initiated in Iran, ISNA news agency reported on Thursday.