Environmental Risk Factors for Esophageal Cancer in the Somali Region of Ethiopia, a Feasibility Study

This research project aims to assess the environmental risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in Ethiopia’s Somali region—an area within Africa’s high-incidence belt for this deadly cancer. Despite a high burden of disease and anecdotal reports of ESCC affecting even young adults, there has been little to no formal research conducted in this population. The interdisciplinary team, composed of University of Michigan faculty and Ethiopian collaborators at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, will conduct a cross-sectional study to document known and suspected ESCC exposures—including the consumption of extremely hot foods and beverages, khat use, and pesticide exposure—and will collect biospecimens for future analysis. A key feature of this work is its strong foundation in community partnership, cultural sensitivity, and capacity building, including training local staff in data collection and biospecimen handling. 

By generating foundational data in an underserved and understudied region, this project addresses urgent global health equity concerns. ESCC is a cancer of poverty, often diagnosed too late for treatment, with survival rates below 5% in many low-resource settings. The outcomes of this feasibility study will help shape larger, more definitive studies that could lead to preventive interventions tailored to the local context.