[Prostatic tumors (adenoma, adenocarcinoma) and obesity in Cameroon]

The aim of this study was to look for an association between obesity and prostatic tumors in general in Cameroon. During a sixteen month period (1 September 1991 to 31 December 1992), we recruited 50 symptomatic patients with histologically confirmed prostatic tumors who were matched with a control of the same age. Of these patients, 36 had adenomas, 12 had carcinomas, two had both tumors. Patients' age ranged from 49 to 91 years. The difference in body weight and height between the patients and the controls was not significant. According to the Lorentz formula, there were as many obese patients as controls. Obesity was five times more frequent in the patients than the controls following the body mass index, but this difference was not significant. We conclude that in our area, there might be an association between obesity and prostatic tumors in general but our study is too small to reach a conclusion.