Short duration of survival among South African blacks with oesophageal cancer.

South African urban Blacks are very prone to oesophageal cancer, and mean age at diagnosis is almost a decade lower than that of White patients (male preponderance is equally marked in both ethnic groups). In recent years the socio-economic position of urban Blacks has improved greatly, with considerable strides being made in literacy and awareness of hospital services. This socio-economic improvement could conceivably improve the extremely short durations of survival among oesophageal cancer patients noted in earlier studies; this, however, has not occurred. Of a series comprising 146 male and 37 female patients, 50% had died after 3,6 and 4,2 months respectively. The corresponding periods noted for White patients are about twice as long.