Location:
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Study Area:
Esophageal cancer
Partner Institutions:
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS)
Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH)
Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI)
Principal Investigators:
Katherine Van Loon, MD, MPH
Elia Mmbaga, MD, PhD
UCSF Investigator Team:
Eric Collisson, MD
Joseph DeRisi, PhD
Robert A. Hiatt, MD, PhD
Dianna Ng, MD
John Witte, PhD
Li Zhang, PhD
Tanzania Investigator Team:
Julius Mwaiselage, MD (ORCI)
Beatrice Mushi, MD, MPH (MUHAS)
Larry Akoko, MD (MNH)
Ally Mwanga, MD (MNH)
Innocent J. Mosha, MD (MNH)
Julius Mwaiselage, MD (ORCI)
Funding Sources:
2016 Global Cancer Program Pilot Award: “Identification of the SNPs and their interaction with environmental factors in esophageal cancer in Tanzania.” Principal Investigator: Li Zhang, PhD 8/1/2016-6/30/2017
2016 UCSF Resource Allocation Program: “Identification of the SNPs and their interaction with environmental factors in esophageal cancer in Tanzania.” Principal Investigator: Li Zhang, PhD
National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute Center For Global Health, Administrative Supplement to Promote Cancer Prevention and Control Research in Low and Middle Income Countries: “Identification of Molecular Determinants of Esophageal Cancer in Tanzania.” A119617, [CA-0082629]. Principal Investigator: Katherine Van Loon, MD, MPH
National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute Center For Global Health, Pilot Collaborations with LMICs in Global Cancer Research or Global Health Research at NCI-designated Cancer Centers: “A Study of the Etiology of Esophageal Cancer in Tanzania.” [Contract No. HH5N261200800001E]. Principal Investigator: Katherine Van Loon, MD, MPH
Esophageal Cancer: A Regional Disease Priority for East Africa
Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. However, more than 80% of cases of and deaths from esophageal cancer occur within developing countries. One of the most striking features of esophageal cancer is the presence of defined high-incidence geographic regions, including locales in northern China, northeastern Iran, eastern South America, and South Africa.
Our team previously defined eastern Africa as a geographic area with 
disproportionately high age-standardized rates of esophageal cancer. Together, Dr. Katherine Van Loon from UCSF and Dr. Elia Mmbaga from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) lead a multi-disciplinary team of researchers from MUHAS, Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), and Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in Dar es Salaam focused on understanding the clinical burden and etiology of this high-incidence disease in Tanzania.
Understanding the Etiology of Esophageal Cancer in Tanzania
The UCSF-MUHAS team has collaborated on a number of studies to investigate environmental, dietary, genetic, molecular, and pathogenic contributions to the etiology of esophageal cancer in East Africa. Our ongoing projects include (1) a case-control study to evaluate etiologic contributions to the high incidence of esophageal cancer, (2) creation of a biorepository with esophageal tumor biopsy specimens which will be used to evaluate the molecular determinants of this disease in Tanzania, and (3) a genome-wide association study to identify genetic risk factors associated with esophageal cancer in East African populations.
Publications:
Cheng, M., Zhang, L., Borok, M., Chokunonga, E., Dzamamala, C., Korir, A., Wabinga, H.R., Wabinga, H.R., Hiatt, R.A., Parkin, D.M., Van Loon, K. The incidence of oesophageal cancer in Eastern Africa: Identification of a new geographic hot spot? Cancer Epidemiology. April 2015. 39(2):143-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2015.01.001
Mmbaga E., Deardorff, K., Mushi, B., Mgisha, W., Merritt, M., Hiatt, R.A., Mwaiselage, J., Zhang, L., Van Loon K. Characteristics of esophageal cancer cases presenting to two national referral hospitals in Tanzania. 2015 AORTIC Meeting. Marrakech, Morocco. November 2015.
Mmbaga, E., Deardorff, K., Mushi, B., Zhang, L., Mgisha, W., Parikh, A., Hiatt, R.A., Mwaiselage, J., Van Loon, K. A case-control study to evaluate the etiology of esophageal cancer in Tanzania. Journal of Global Oncology. July 20, 2016. DOI: 10.1200/JGO.2016.004267.
