Cancer of the Oesophagus in Transkei: An Investigation into the Dietary and Social Habits of the People of Transkei with the Intention of Casting Light on the Aetiology of Cancer of the Oesophagus within the Region

Sammon, Alastair M (1992) Cancer of the Oesophagus in Transkei: An Investigation into the Dietary and Social Habits of the People of Transkei with the Intention of Casting Light on the Aetiology of Cancer of the Oesophagus within the Region. MD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

Transkei is a region of very high incidence of Cancer of the oesophagus (CO). Enquiry within the community revealed an unusual number of potential causes of injury to the oesophagus, the prevalence and extent of which were confirmed in opportunistic studies by questionnaire. The statistical relationship between CO and a large nunmber of potentially important factors in dietary and social habits was determined by iterative development of questionnaires for both CO patients and controls, culminating in a case-control study of 100 pairs. In the case-control study the following were significant: smoking, consumption of Solanum nigrum, consumption of Chenopodium album and use of traditional medicines were positively associated with CO; number of sheep kept, and total bought dietary fat were negatively associated with CO. Conditional logistic regression analysis of significant factors revealed relative risks of 3.6 for consumption of Solanum nigrum and 2.6 for smoking, both risks being significant. The wild vegetable Solanum nigrum has been identified as a probable carcinogen in Transkei, and a theory of pathogenesis is described which involves nutritional predisposition due to the staple diet, and carcinogenesis by substances which include tobacco and Solanum nigrum.

• Item Type: Thesis (MD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Additional Information: Adviser: Robin Jones-Knill
• Keywords: Medicine, Oncology, Epidemiology
• Date of Award: 1992
• Depositing User: Enlighten Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:1992-74723
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 27 Sep 2019 16:58
• Last Modified: 27 Sep 2019 16:58
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/74723