Malignancies. At the Hospital of Doctor Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon, 1950-1965.

Abstract

AbstractRecords from 1950 through 1965 for 64,297 persons seen at the Hospital of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Lambaréné, Gabon (equatorial West Africa) disclose 196 histologically‐proven malignancies. Dominated by carcinomas, chiefly of the genitourinary and alimentary tracts, these malignancies also include substantial numbers of lymphomas and sarcomas. Although primary cancers of the liver were found, no evidence was found at Lambaréné of certain other tumors prevalent elsewhere in Africa. No nasopharyngeal or esophageal cancers were recorded; further, few malignancies were recorded for young persons, and for children no evidence was found of leukemias or the malignant lymphoma of Burkitt. A near‐constant proportion of numbers of malignancies to total numbers of histopathological reports was found throughout the 16‐year period 1950–1965; this result does not support the suggestion of an increased general prevalence of malignancies during recent years. Collectively, the data extend the published information for malignancies in equatorial West Africa, and suggest several directions—both clinical and endemiologic—for studies at Lambaréné.