Abstract:
Esophageal cancer at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital(MTRH) is the leading cancer in men with a poor prognosis. A case control
study (� = 159) aimed at the histology type, gender, and risk indicators was carried out at MTRH. Mantel Haenszel chi-square and
logistic regression were employed for analysis. Squamous-cell carcinoma was the common histological type occurring in the middle
third portion of the oesophagus. Te occurrence of the cancer in males was 1.4 times that of females. Te mean age was 56.1 yrs.
Low socioeconomic, smoking, snuff use, alcohol, tooth loss, cooking with charcoal and frewood, hot beverage, and use of mursik
were independently associated with esophageal cancer (� < 0.05). Using logistic regression adjusted for various factors, alcohol
consumption was associated with the increased risk of esophageal cancer. AHR was 0.45 and 95% CI: 0.205–0.985, � = 0.046.
A societal component of low socioeconomic conditions, a lifestyle component with specifc practices such as the consumption of
mursik, chang’a, busaa, snuff, smoking, hot tea, poor oral hygiene, and an environmental component with potential exposure to
high levels of nitrosamines, passive smoking, and cooking with coal, could be involved. Te increase in experts at MTRH capable
of diagnosing could be responsible for the increase in reporting this neoplasm.
