Malignant gastro-intestinal tumours. The frequency distribution by age, sex, race and site at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, 1974-1978.

The observed frequency distribution of 2023 primary malignant gastro-intestinal tumours recorded during the 5-year period 1974-1978 is reported. The two most common sites were stomach (29.6%) and colon and rectum (29.5%), and the third most common was the oesophagus (19.8%). Marked differences in the site of the tumours according to race were found; oesophageal carcinoma was the most frequent lesion in Black patients (62.1%), gastric carcinoma in Coloured patients (44.1%) and colorectal carcinoma in White patients (46.8%). Within the Black group rarely affected sites were the pancreas (5.1%) and colon and rectum (3.5%).