Abstract

Ouattara B, Kra O, Kone S, Kouassi L, Touré HK, N�??Zué KS, Kadjo K and Niamkey EK

Cancer has been marginalized in sub-Saharan Africa for many years due to the presence of major endemics such as Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The aim of this study was to contribute to a better knowledge of cancers in the Department of Internal Medicine in Africa. It was a descriptive retrospective transversal study conducted from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2012 in the Department of Internal Medicine of the University Teaching Hospital of Treichville on data of the patients with cancers. Of 6534 inpatients admitted into hospital, 116 had cancer (1.8%). The median age was 54± 15.5 years and the sex-ratio was 1.6. The main motives of admission were deterioration of general condition (60.3%) and long-term fever (28.4%). The medical histories were chronic viral hepatitis B (35%) and chronic alcoholism (15.5%). Primary liver cancer accounted for 48.3% of the cases followed-up pancreatic cancers (10.3%). The mortality rate was 34.5%. Cancers were less frequent in our study, but the prognosis was poor.