[Endoscopic features of esophageal cancer in Dakar, Senegal: study of 76 observations]

In response to the lack of cancer register and paucity of publications on esophageal cancer in Senegal, this retrospective descriptive single-center study was undertaken to determine epidemiological, clinical, endoscopic and histological features of the disease at a digestive endoscopy center in Dakar.

Reports describing upper digestive tract endoscopy procedures performed at the Aristide Le Dantec Teaching Hospital in Dakar between January 2006 and December 2009 were reviewed. Cases involving histologically confirmed esophageal cancer were compiled and patient data including age, sex, and indication for endoscopy as well as endoscopic and histological findings were analyzed.

A total of 78 reports were collected including 76 patients with suitable data for analysis. Esophageal cancer accounted for 0.97% of upper digestive tract endoscopy procedures performed. Mean patient age was 49 years and the sex-ratio was 1.9. The main indication for endoscopy was dysphagia (92.1%). The most frequent endoscopic finding involved budding lesions with (42%) or without (29%) ulceration. The most common location was the middle third of the esophagus (50%). The most frequent histological type was squamous cell carcinoma (92.1%).

Esophageal cancer observed at the endoscopy center of the Aristide Le Dantec Teaching Hospital in Dakar mainly affects young male adults. Lesions are generally located in the middle third of the esophagus and corresponded to squamous cell cancer. There is a need to establish a cancer register and to conduct multicentric studies to gain insight into risk factors for esophageal cancer in Senegal.