Clinicopathological study of nephroblastomas in Ibadan

The present study reviews 31 patients with histologically confirmed nephroblastoma seen over a 5-year period (1985-1989). There was a predominance of female patients with a male: female ratio of 1:1.7, and the average age of the patients was 47 months. The patients invariably presented with a palpable abdominal mass, but haematuria was exceptional. The neoplasms tended to be larger on average than those reported previously among Caucasian children. Carcinomatous transformation of the epithelial components was observed in 2 renal neoplasms. Poorly differentiated neoplasms were commoner in male than in female patients. Our findings indicate an unfavourable prognosis for nephroblastoma in this environment because of late clinical presentation with advanced disease and inadequate treatment and follow-up.