logo
ADVERTISEMENT

Kenya has world's highest throat cancer rate — why?

Sh446m project in 5 counties will find out, involving KU and University of Manchester


News15 March 2022 - 15:37
ADVERTISEMENT

In Summary


•In Kenya, oesophageal cancer kills 99 per cent of patients diagnosed at stage three or four.

• Anecdotal theories include drinking hot tea, mursik or chewing miraa. "We now want to do a thorough scientific study,” principal investigator said Dr George Njoroge said.

 

Kenyatta University Training, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) chairperson Prof Olive Mugenda launched Sh446 million project for throat cancer research in five counties.

A three-year project has been launched to find out why Kenya has the world's highest rate of throat cancer

The Sh446 million project is funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health Research and will be undertaken by researchers from Kenya and the United Kingdom.

The studies will be coordinated by researchers from the Kenyatta University Training, Referral and Research Hospital and the University of Manchester.

They will work in Kiambu, Kisii, Nyeri, Meru and Nakuru, where the disease is most prevalent.

In Kenya, oesophageal cancer kills 99 per cent of patients diagnosed at stages three or four.

“Several theories have already been advanced, including that it is caused by drinking hot tea, mursik (fermented milk) or chewing miraa," principal investigator Dr George Njoroge said.

"But these are just anecdotal. We now want to do a thorough scientific study.

A major aim of the study is to understand the mechanisms of disease progression to identify biomarkers of cancer risk.

Another aim is to develop new cancer interception strategies to prevent or delay disease development or recurrence," Njoroge said.

Njoroge is a well-known chemist who has discovered several novel medicines to cure life-threatening diseases in the United States, where he was based for 30 years until 2020.

He is well-known for the discovery of Victrelis, for treatment of the Hepatitis C virus. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2020.

Dr Njoroge said the high throat cancer death rate in Kenya is likely due to late diagnosis because when caught early, the disease has a high cure rate.

He said the high incidence in Kenya could involve genetics, lifestyle, socio-economic and environmental factors.

“Striking variations in incidence exist across geographic confines whereby Western and Central Kenya have the highest incidence,” Njoroge said.

Renowned drug hunter Dr George Njoroge, principal investigator in the study, at the Kenyatta University Training, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) on March 15.

Kenya has one of the highest incidence rates of oesophagal cancer (EC) in the continent with a rate of 20 per 100,000 population.

KUTRRH chairperson Prof Olive Mugenda, who launched the partnership, said the hospital will adopt a spoke and hub model where KU will be the hub coordinating the four centres.

She said they will delve into genomics to deliver targeted treatment.

“The chemotherapy we are currently getting is general, we will need the next generation machine to test genes so that we give targeted treatment to patients.”

Prof Mugenda said the researchers will also analyse the social impact of cancer and how diagnosis affects families and communities.

University of Manchester vice president Prof Lord Graham said the team will partly apply the so-called 'One Manchester approach' which focuses on early detection.

“The aim is to reduce the burden of cancer across the whole society especially in communities that are underserved, thereby reducing health inequalities,” he said.

Prof Graham also said  UoM will partner with KU Hospital to begin kidney transplants.

The commonest symptom of oesophagal cancer is trouble swallowing, especially a feeling of food being stuck in the throat.

These symptoms worsen over time as the oesophagus narrows from the growing cancer.

Other symptoms include a cough that is not getting better, a hoarse voice, loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to, feeling tired or having no energy and pain in the throat or the middle of the chest, especially when swallowing.

(Edited by V. Graham)

“WATCH: The latest videos from the Star”
ADVERTISEMENT

logo© The Star 2024. All rights reserved