Cancer in an African Community, 1897-1956

Abstract

Lip cancer probably represents the only genuine change in the cancer pattern disclosed by these records. It seems to have declined steadily over the six decades until to-day it is an uncommon tumour. In the Mengo series there were 11 females and S males; in the Registry series 4 femals and 4 males. All 16 Mengo patients were elderly ; in 15 the lower lip or angle of the mouth was affected, and many were recorded as confirmed smokers using primitive pipes with thin wood or stem pipes. The decline in this tumour may be due to a change in smoking methods rather than in the habit.

The Pattern of Malignant Disease in Ilesha, Western Nigeria

“…There were 6 in the caecum (1 proved carcinoma and 2 reticulosarcoma), 2 in the hepatic flexure, 1 in the splenic flexure and 3 in the transverse colon. A similar high incidence of right-sided colon lesions has received comment from Davies et al (1964) in Uganda with 46 per cent (compared with 50 per cent here) and Williams and Edington (1967) in Ibadan with 55 per cent.…”

“…This is less than the 0'91 from Mengo (Davies et al, 1964) and the average 1 per cent mentioned by Buckley (1967).…”

“…Those referring to cervix uteri and breast, because of their selection, were an underestimate of the ratio in the community; consequently other relative ratios have been inflated especially in females. (Davies et al, 1964 Eastern Kivu in Congo with 11-5 per cent (Clemmesen et al, 1962), at Ndolage in the extreme North-west of Tanzania with 16 per cent (quoted by Buckley, 1967) and from Western Kenya 16-5 per cent (Kisia and Burkitt, 1968).…”

Salivary gland tumours and tumours of the oral cavity in western Nigeria.

“…The lack of male preponderance in lip and tongue cancer in the overall figures is indeed striking, a finding which has previously been noted by Oettle (1964) in the South African Coloureds when compared with the white population. Davies et al (1964a) have also commentated on the rarity of carcinoma of the tongue and mouth in Kampala.…”

Untitled

“…Most striking was the high occurrence of KS in areas of sub-Saharan Africa, with marked differences between regions, age and tribes (Oettlé, 1962;Davies et al, 1964;Taylor et al, 1972;Templeton, 1973;Biggar et al, 1984;Dictor and Attewell, 1988).…”