High incidence of esophageal cancer in 30-39 year old males in Southern and Eastern African regions

A recent meta-analysis and systematic review of  literature examined differences in esophageal cancer (EC) incidence between males and females in 197 populations from 36 African countries, amounting to about 45,500 cases.

The findings revealed that overall, males were disproportionately affected by the disease because about 57% of male to female ratios for EC incidence were >2. Geographically, Southern and Eastern African regions were hot spots for esophageal cancer incidence: the regional male to female EC ratios were 1.8 and 1.6, respectively. The results also showed a higher burden of disease in young men due to a male excess  in EC cases observed in the 30-39 year old age group, especially in high incidence regions. For detailed information about this research, click here.