Doctors link rising cases of throat cancer to chang’aa and miraa

People line up for cancer screening during the World Cancer Day celebrations at Kenyatta National Hospital yesterday. The Health CS said the disease kills an average of 76 Kenyans per day. [PHOTO: BEVERLYNE MUSILI/STANDARD]

Throat cancer is becoming one of the most commonly diagnosed in Kenya after cervical and breast cancer.

Doctors have linked the rising cases of esophagus cancer to second-generation alcohol and chewing of miraa. Head of the Cancer Treatment Centre at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Eliud Njuguna, said there is a progressive increase in the number of patients with esophagus cancer visiting the facility, especially those from low-income households.