title: Epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in sub-Saharan Africa.
abstract: Published incidences of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Black population of sub-Saharan Africa underestimate the true incidence of the tumor because of the many instances in which hepatocellular carcinoma is either not definitively diagnosed or is not recorded in a cancer registry. Despite this, it is manifestly evident that the tumor occurs commonly and is a major cause of cancer deaths in Black African peoples living in the sub-continent, particularly in those living in rural areas. 46,000 new cases of hepatocellular carcinoma have been recorded to be diagnosed in sub-Saharan Africa each year, and age-standardized incidences of the tumor as high as 41.2/100,000 persons/year have been documented. The highest incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma has been recorded in Mozambique. The tumor occurs at a young age in rural dwelling and, to a lesser extent, urban dwelling Black Africans. It is also more common in men than women, particularly in the younger patients. Cirrhosis co-exists with hepatocellular carcinoma in about 60% of patients and is equally common in the two sexes. The tumor is not only common in the Black African population, it also carries an especially grave prognosis, with about 93% of the patients dying within 12 months of the onset of symptoms. Caucasians living in the sub-continent have a low incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma and it occurs at an older age.
authors: Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Michael.Kew@uct.ac.za
authors: Michael C
authors: MC
authors: Kew
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult