Malignant childhood tumours in Calabar, Nigeria

Children suspected with cancers seen during a 5-year period (Jan 1983-Dec 1987) in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) Calabar, Nigeria were prospectively studied. A total of 60 cases were confirmed in those aged below 15 years with a majority (38.3%) of the children under 3 years. The pattern shows a preponderance of Burkitt's lymphoma followed by nephroblastoma and soft tissue sarcoma as the commonest malignancies. A low relative frequency of leukaemias (8.3%) and no intracranial tumours were encountered. This pattern closely resembles that of other Nigerian reports but contrasts with the situation in Britain and America, with their high leukaemia and intracranial tumour frequency ratios. Generally, there appears to be a low prevalence of malignancies among children in Calabar and presumably the south-eastern part of Nigeria. Difficulties in their management are attributable to late presentation, high patient default rate, complete lack of radiotherapy, and shortage of chemotherapeutic agents.