Head and neck tumours in Ghanaian children. A 20 year review

Histological reports on tumour specimens recorded at a teaching hospital in Accra, Ghana from 1989 to 2008 were reviewed to determine the incidence of head and neck tumours in children less than 16 years old. There were 4546 reports of head and neck tumours (2041 malignant, 2505 benign). Of these 613 met the study age selection criteria. 186(30.3%) were malignant and 427(69.7%) benign. The male to female ratio for malignant tumours was 1.86:1, benign 0.73:1 and for all tumours 1:1.04. Lymphoma (54.8%), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (19.9%) and rhabdomyosarcoma (14%), together constituted over 88% of malignant neoplasms. The commonest benign neoplasm was squamous papilloma (76/427) 17.8%, and then haemangioma (60/427) 14.05%. The incidence increased with age, peaking in those aged 12-16 years. The commonest site for benign tumours was the larynx and for malignant tumours the neck (cervical lymph nodes). Relative to all head and neck malignancies, the incidence of childhood head and neck malignancies was 11% (186/2041). This study reveals that malignant head and neck tumours are not rare in Ghana compared to benign tumours and the incidence of rhabdomyosarcoma is higher in females.