cancer

Kenya belongs to a high incidence region known as Africa’s oesophageal cancer corridor. Research on EC in Kenya has gone highly unnoticed. EC in Kenya is unique in its high percentage of young cases.

A study was conducted and the focus was mainly on significant risk factors such as alcohol drinking, genetic factors, malnutrition and hot food/drink. Future directions in the study and prevention of EC in Kenya were also discussed.

Cervical cancer is a preventable disease. Despite this, the annual incidence globally is projected to increase from 570,000 cases currently to 700,000 by 2030, and most of these will be among young under-educated women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (1, 2). The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine offers the potential to eliminate cervical cancer if routinely available and used based on recent studies (3). This is especially important in LMICs where the cost of cancer care can be prohibitive including biological medicines (4).

Cancer has in recent times acquired an eerie omnipresence in the minds of our countrymen as they see all kinds of personalities, big and small go down with the disease.

The mood in our country today is governed by the fear of cancer through rumours peddled by people who most of the time lack the right information and know-how that can guide the fidgety population about what is actually going on.