Carcinoma of the oesophagus

A 10-year review of oesophageal cancer in Ibadan, Nigeria, is presented Seventy-two patients representing a mean annual incidence of 0.31 per 100 000 of the population were found. The age range was 27-96 years, with a mean of 57 years for men and 65 for women. Dysphagia, weight loss and anaemia were the significant features in the majority and 40 per cent of the patients presented between 4 and 12 months (mean 7.5 months). None of the commonly used dietary ingredients could be implicated in the causation of this tumour in which squamous cell cancer accounted for 88.5 per cent of all types. The middle third was the commonest site of tumour formation (45 per cent) while the lower third accounted for 40 per cent. A low operability rate of 32 per cent is recorded and only 21 per cent were suitable for oesophagectomy. Survival among this group was 50 per cent at 1 year, 20 per cent at 3 years and 10 per cent at 4 years.