World Health Organization has designated the Digestive Disease Research Centre, Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers Research Group, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research on Gastrointestinal Cancers . DDRC will act as the Head of the Centre. This will be effective for a period of four years as from 1 January 2007. The terms of reference of the centre are as follows:
1- To carry out research (from bedside to bench ) and training in the field of upper gastrointestinal cancer with special reference to the epidemiology and early diagnosis.
2- To collect, evaluate and circulate information in research and prevention of oesophageal and gastric cancer.
3- Helping to develop and transfer appropriate technology for prevention and early diagnosis of oesophageal and gastric cancer in the oesophageal cancer belt of Asia (China, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Iran).
4- To provide information to WHO on upper GI cancer when requested.
5- To support International (regional or worldwide) meeatings on UGI cancers for developing countries.
6- The Centre provides training on epidemiology, prevention and updated methods for oesophageal cancer therapy to clinical doctors, nurses and paramedical staffs from different parts of the world. In addition, the Centre can assist foreign researchers in the performance of their high-level researches on UGI cancers.