Golestan province is located in Northern Iran. Total population of Golestan province in 2016 was 1,868,819. The land area of Golestan province in about 1.3% of total land area of Iran. The Golestan province has been known as a high risk area for upper gastrointestinal cancers since the 1970s. Determining the underlying risk factors of these cancers has historically been a major challenge for health authorities in this high risk region during recent decades. As a first step to cancer control in this high-risk population, the Golestan Population-Based Cancer Registry (GPCR) was established to provide reliable cancer statistics to related research group as well as to local and national health policy makers. The GPCR was established by the Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (GRCGH), affiliated to Golestan University of Medical Sciences (GOUMS). The GPCR included a steering committee comprising the principal investigators (PIs) of the GPCR research project and the Chancellor of GOUMS. A Secretariat consisted of representatives from GRCGH, the stakeholders listed above, as well as a consultant pathologist and an epidemiologist. The GPCR  was accepted as a voting member by the IACR in 2007.