Primary carcinoma of the liver in ethiopia: A study of 38 cases proved at post-mortem examination

The incidence of primary carcinoma of the liver is known to be high in some African countries, e.g., S. Africa (Berman, 1951), Uganda (Alpert, Hutt and David-son, 1968), Tanzania (Burkitt and Slavin, 1968) and Mozambique (Prates, 1958). No report on the prevalence of this cancer in Ethiopia has so far been made in the medical literature. This paper deals with the clinico-pathological features of 38 cases of primary liver carcinoma, proved at post-mortem examination, in the Imperial Ethiopian Armed Forces Hospital at Addis Ababa. The frequency of this tumour in Ethiopia and the probable aetiological factors are discussed. © 1970, The British Empire Cancer Campaign for Research. All rights reserved.