Background: Cancer in Africa is an emerging public health problem that needs urgent preventive measures, particularly in workplaces where exposure to carcinogens may occur. In Tanzania, the incidence rate of cancer and mortality rates due to cancers are increasing, with approximately 50,000 new cases each year. This is estimated to double by 2030. Methods: Our hospital-based cross-sectional study describes the characteristics of newly diagnosed patients with head and neck or esophageal cancer from the Ocean Road Cancer Institute (ORCI), Tanzania. We used an ORCI electronic system to extract secondary data for these patients. Results: According to the cancer registration, there were 611 head and neck and 975 esophageal cancers recorded in 2019–2021. Two-thirds of these cancer patients were male. About 25% of the cancer patients used tobacco and alcohol, and over 50% were involved in agriculture. Conclusion: Descriptions of 1586 head and neck cancer patients and esophageal cancer patients enrolled in a cancer hospital in Tanzania are given. The information may be important for designing future studies of these cancers and may be of value in the development of cancer prevention measures.

Cancer is a major global health concern. Head and neck cancers are the sixth most prevalent type of cancer globally; it has been suggested that these cancers can be caused due to pesticide exposure during agricultural activities. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether agricultural labor is associated with an increased risk of head and neck cancers. A case–control study was performed in Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Tanzania: a national, specialized cancer hospital. A total of 298 head and neck cases and 305 controls were included. Occupational history and information about lifestyle factors and diet were obtained by interview. Using logistic regression analyses and adjusting for lifestyle and diet, an increased risk of head and neck cancer was found among workers with a history of agricultural work, with an odds ratio of 2.6 and a 95% confidence interval of 1.60–4.37. When including only non-smokers and non-alcohol users (n = 363), a similar estimate was found. Participants with over 10 years (n = 481) of agricultural work experience, after adjusting for lifestyle and diet, exhibited an odds ratio of 5.1, with a 95% confidence interval of 2.56–9.94. Our findings indicate that agricultural work is associated with the risk of head and neck cancer. Carcinogens in agriculture should be examined in future studies.

Introduction: In Tanzania, there are 50,000 cancer cases reported annually, and this number is projected to double by 2030. Workplace exposure to carcinogens may be a contributing factor to cancer risk. However, there is limited knowledge about the presence and use of carcinogenic chemicals at workplaces in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The study aimed to describe the presence of carcinogens in chemical agents used in industry and agriculture sectors in Tanzania. Methods: Data about chemicals used in industries and agriculture in Tanzania were extracted from the databases of two government regulatory authorities: the Government Chemist Laboratory Authority (GCLA) and the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticide Authority (TPHPA). The chemicals were evaluated based on the presence of carcinogens in groups 1, 2A, 2B and 3 according to the classification by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Results: A total of 2907 chemicals were assessed from the industries. Five percent of the chemicals were carcinogens. The cement industry had the highest proportion of chemicals containing carcinogens, accounting for approximately 14%. Formaldehyde was the most frequently occurring Group 1 carcinogen, present in 45% of the industries studied. Additionally, out of the 1855 pesticides assessed, 2% were found to contain carcinogens. Conclusion: This study revealed the presence of carcinogens in chemicals within industrial chemicals and agricultural pesticides in Tanzania. It indicates that workers employed in these workplaces could potentially be at risk of carcinogen exposure, which necessitates the implementation of regulatory measures.

Ceramic tile manufacturing is relatively new in Tanzania. Workers in these ceramic tile industries may be exposed to dust from stone materials, increasing