In an exclusive interview with 'Iran Daily' published Thursday, Nassiri noted that the high lung cancer rate in the capital is due to air pollution and smoking

Also, the air in Tehran contains a high quantity of lead due to poor combustion and inferior and substandard gasoline. Breathing in such air will increase the likelihood of respiratory disorders and cancers

On the distribution of various types of cancers across the country, Nassiri said esophagus and gastric cancers are prevalent in North Khorasan province, while gastric cancer is more common in East and West Azarbaijan provinces

Lymphoma cancer is prevalent in Isfahan province, while bladder cancer is common in southwestern regions such as Khuzestan province

The frequency of certain cancers in some regions can be studied in accordance with genetic factors as well as environmental and climatic conditions

Nassiri said retinoblastoma (a rare eye cancer), which is common in children below the age of five, is caused by genetic factors

Also, swimming in the rivers of Khuzestan province will transmit Schistosomiasis to the urethra, stimulating the bladder and resulting in bladder cancer

The radiotherapy specialist attributed the high prevalence of esophagus and gastric cancers in North Khorasan to drinking very hot tea. Also, the use of narcotics such as opium and its derivatives could also have an impact

He said nutrition and food play an important role in the incidence of digestive system cancers, particularly esophagus and gastric cancers

Since Tehran’s population includes various clans such as the Azeris and Khorasanis, all types of cancers have been observed in the city, he said

(Nassiri noted that the most prevalent cancers include breast cancer (in women) as well as gastric and colon cancer (in men

Prostate cancer is also on the rise among men,he said

Based on studies conducted by the Research Center of Mashhad Medical University in the province of Khorasan Razavi and in North Khorasan, one-third of female patients, who visited medical centers, suffered from breast cancer

Many people lose their lives due to colon and prostate cancers in the US and lung cancer is the main killer in European nations, particularly the UK

On the high number of cancer patients in third-world countries, the radiotherapy specialist said malnutrition is responsible for cancer in these nations since the deficiency of vitamins such as C, A, E, as well as minerals like selenium and zinc makes the body more prone to cancer

Healthy diet and good nutrition are not observed in the Third World, he said.For example, substandard foodstuff and canned foods, which have high amount of saccharin and nitrate, are consumed in these nations. Nitrates will turn into nitrosamine which makes people susceptible to cancer

He said the Health Overhaul Plan is effective in preventing and treating cancer since treatment costs will drop and insurance companies are committed to pay most of the treatment costs

Nassiri also said the production of anticancer drugs is underway in Iran since past four years

They are quality drugs, which are comparable to foreign brands, particularly those used for digestive and bladder systems, he said