Morphological pattern of childhood solid tumours in Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Cancer mortality pattern in lagos university teaching hospital, lagos, Nigeria

Background. Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and about 70% of all cancer deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. The cancer mortality pattern is quite different in Africa compared to other parts of the world. Extensive literature research showed little or no information about the overall deaths attributable to cancer in Nigeria. Aims and Objectives. This study aims at providing data on the patterns of cancer deaths in our center using the hospital and autopsy death registers. Methodology. Demographic, clinical data of patients who died of cancer were extracted from death registers in the wards and mortuary over a period of 14 years (2000–2013). Results. A total of 1436 (4.74%) cancer deaths out of 30287 deaths recorded during the period. The male to female ratio was 1 : 2.2 and the peak age of death was between 51 and 60 years. Overall, breast cancer was responsible for most of the deaths. Conclusion. The study shows that the cancers that accounted for majority of death occurred in organs that were accessible to screening procedures and not necessary for survival. We advise regular screening for precancerous lesions in these organs so as to reduce the mortality rate and burden of cancer.

Pattern of malignant solid tumors and lymphomas in children in the east delta of Egypt: A five-year study

Worldwide, the incidence and mortality rates of childhood cancers differ. The study of incidence patterns and survival rates in childhood malignancies is important in aiding in the planning of treatment centers and in obtaining further information with regard to the etiology. Few studies have investigated the survival in cases of childhood solid tumors in Egypt. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the patterns, frequency and outcome of solid tumors and lymphomas in children admitted to and followed up at the Pediatric Oncology Department of Zagazig University Hospital (Zagazig, Egypt) over a duration of 5 years (January 2004 to December 2008). A retrospective study was conducted, which included 155 children with solid tumors and lymphomas. The medical records were reviewed and the relevant data collected, in particular, those concerning demographic, clinical, histopathological, laboratory and imaging data as well as the treatment plans and outcomes. The mean age of patients was 5.6±3.04 years at diagnosis. The patients comprised 94 males and 61 females. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) was the most common tumor type, followed by neuroblastoma (31.0 and 29.0%, respectively). When patients were stratified in terms of age (<5, ≥5 but <10, and ≥10 years), the <5-years-of-age group exhibited the greatest number of patients. Fever, pallor and pain were the most frequent initial clinical presentations among the patients and stage II was the most common stage (39.1%) followed by stage IV, III and I (35.0, 20.3 and 5.6% respectively). The overall 5-year survival rate in the study group was 66.7%. The survival rate was significantly higher in patients with Wilm’s tumor and Hodgkin lymphoma, followed by NHL (92.0, 88.0 and 72.0%, respectively; P<0.001), while the mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with neuroblastoma (P<0.001). In conclusion, NHL and neuroblastoma were the most common tumors; the survival rates were higher in patients with Wilm’s tumor and Hodgkin lymphoma and lower in patients with neuroblastoma. A larger multicenter study is required to further investigate the conclusions drawn from this study.

Pediatric malignancies in Kano, Northern Nigeria

BACKGROUND

With effective immunization control of several devastating childhood infections in the developing world, non-infectious diseases such as malignancies have become increasingly important causes of pediatric morbidity and mortality. Therefore this 10-year retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate and document the pattern of childhood cancers in our locality.

METHODS

We reviewed 438 childhood (≤15 years) malignancies diagnosed at the histopathology and hematology laboratories of our teaching hospital in a 10-year period (2001-2010).

RESULTS

The 438 malignancies comprised 10.9% of all cancers. The maligancies frequently seen in early childhood (0-4 years) accounted for 46.1% and in late childhood (5-9 years) for 34.7%. Retinoblastoma (30.6%), Burkitt lymphoma (19.9%) and acute leukemia (16.9%) were the most common pediatric cancers. Unlike in most other parts of the world, acute myeloid leukemia was slightly more prevalent than acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there were notable differences, our findings were in broad agreement with those of most other sub-Saharan African series, but differed markedly from those in the Western world and other high income countries. Further studies are required to identify the environmental factors for the high prevalence of nonfamilial retinoblastoma and possibly acute myeloid leukemia.