[Histoepidemiologic profile of 375 primary bowel cancers at the University Hospital Center in Brazzaville, Congo]

This retrospective study was undertaken to determine the histoepidemiologic profile of primary digestive tract cancer based on analysis of 375 of the 2558 cases diagnosed in the Cytopathology Department of the the University Hospital Center in Brazzaville, Congo from January 1992 to December 2001. Incidence was 14.6%. The sex ratio was 1:5. Age ranged from 39 to 49 years. The liver (40.2%) was the most frequent location followed by the colon/rectum (30.2%), stomach (26.2%), and esophagus 2.1%. Predisposing factors included low-fiber diet, heavy consumption of smoked foods, and history of hepatitis B and C virus infection. The most frequent histological entity accounting for 57% of cases was adenocarcinoma that was observed in the esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, and pancreas. Systematic screening and treatment of precancerous lesions in high-risk patients is necessary to reduce the incidence of digestive tract cancer.