ABSTRACT
Five hundred and forty-six primary malignant alimentary tract tumors in Sudanese patients are analyzed for frequency, age, sex, site, geographic distribution, and clinicopathologic presentations and are compared with other series. The disease is much less frequent in Sudan than in Western countries; within the Sudan itself it is much less prevalent in the South than the North. Generally, it tends to occur in younger age groups than in Western countries. Esophageal cancer is relatively common, especially in the Northern Province and has a female preponderance. Possible explanations are offered. Rectal cancer is more frequent than colonic cancer per se and occurs more often in males; more cases are recorded in relatively young patients. Colonic cancer has a predilection for the caecum. Alimentary cancer does not seem to be related to intestinal bilharziasis or other granulomas though these conditions may clinically mimic malignancy. The shortcomings in the collection of data are noted.
