Esophageal and Head and Neck Cancer Patients Attending Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Tanzania from 2019 to 2021: An Observational Study

Abstract

Background: Cancer in Africa is an emerging public health problem that needs urgent preventive measures, particularly in workplaces where exposure to carcinogens may occur. In Tanzania, the incidence rate of cancer and mortality rates due to cancers are increasing, with approximately 50,000 new cases each year. This is estimated to double by 2030. Methods: Our hospital-based cross-sectional study describes the characteristics of newly diagnosed patients with head and neck or esophageal cancer from the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), Tanzania. We used an ORCI electronic system to extract secondary data for these patients. Results: According to the cancer registration, there were 611 head and neck and 975 esophageal cancers recorded in 2019–2021. Two-thirds of these cancer patients were male. About 25% of the cancer patients used tobacco and alcohol, and over 50% were involved in agriculture. Conclusion: Descriptions of 1586 head and neck cancer patients and esophageal cancer patients enrolled in a cancer hospital in Tanzania are given. The information may be important for designing future studies of these cancers and may be of value in the development of cancer prevention measures.