Childhood malignancies at BS Medical College: a ten year study

A retrospective study of malignant diseases of childhood was carried out at B. S. Medical College, Bankura, W.B. to know the prevalence. It includes cases detected in this institution during 1990-1999 in the age group of 0-14 years. Cases were identified from previous records. Histopathology slides, stained by hematoxylin and eosin, were recovered and reviewed. Diagnosis were made by morphology. Hematological diagnosis were made by morphology and cyto-chemistry. In total 120 cases were detected. Acute leukemia (39.2%) was the commonest, followed by retinoblastoma (19.2%), lymphoma (10.8%), Wilm's tumor (10%) and rhabdomyosarcoma (9.1%). Brain tumors were not found due to non-availability of Neurosurgical Unit in this institution. Frequency of neuroblastoma was very low, only 2 out of a total of 120. In comparison to studies in Southern India and Western countries retinoblastoma and soft tissue sarcoma are more prevalent here, while there is a much lower prevalence of neuroblastoma.