Notes on Some Chemical Elements in Relation to Carcinoma of the Nasopharynx in Kenya

Abstract

Interest has been stimulated in Kenya to examine the relationships between some chemical elements present in both soils and food plants and the occurrence of carcinoma of the nasopharynx in the indigenous peoples. Some factors that influence the availability of these chemical elements in soils are disclosed briefly. A very limited number of analytical results for copper, zinc, molybdenum, nickel and arsenic in soil and plant samples are presented and discussed briefly. They do not suggest that there are any very marked differences in levels associated with the incidence of the cancer syndrome, but a great deal of further careful sampling and study will be required to establish a firm conclusion.