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The pattern of childhood malignancy in eastern Nigeria
F I Obioha1, W N Kaine, S E Ikerionwu
1Department of Radiation Medicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
Insights
Childhood cancer patterns in Africa show more lymphomas and less leukemia, differing from Western countries. This study in Nigeria found lymphomas most common, but with lower incidence than previously reported.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Epidemiology
- Global Health
Background:
- Childhood malignancy patterns vary globally, with distinct differences between developed and developing nations.
- Developing countries, particularly in Africa, historically report a higher incidence of lymphoma and lower incidence of leukemia.
- Socioeconomic factors are often linked to these observed epidemiological variations in childhood cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To retrospectively analyze the pattern of childhood malignant diseases at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
- To compare the observed incidence of specific childhood cancers with previous reports from Nigeria and other African regions.
- To contribute to understanding the epidemiology of pediatric malignancies in a specific African setting.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of clinical records of 257 children diagnosed with malignant diseases.
- Data collection spanned from January 1978 to December 1982.
- Analysis focused on the types and relative frequencies of different childhood cancers.
Main Results:
- Lymphomas were the most frequent malignancy, accounting for nearly 40% of cases.
- Wilm's tumour (14.0%), leukemia (12.9%), and central nervous system (CNS) tumours (9.7%) were the next most common.
- The incidence of lymphoma was lower, and leukemia higher, than previously reported in other Nigerian and African studies.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms lymphomas as the predominant childhood malignancy in this Nigerian cohort.
- Observed shifts in lymphoma and leukemia incidence suggest evolving epidemiological trends or regional variations.
- The findings highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance and research into childhood cancers in Africa.
Abstract:
The pattern of childhood malignancies in the developing countries of Africa is characterized by a high incidence of lymphoma and a low incidence of leukaemia. The converse is the case in the developed countries of Europe and North America. A high incidence of lymphoma with low incidence of leukaemia has been associated with poor living standards. The clinical records of 257 children admitted with malignant disease to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu between January 1978 and December 1982 were studied retrospectively to determine the pattern of malignant diseases amongst these children. The lymphomas were the commonest tumours, constituting nearly 40% of the total, followed by Wilm's tumour (14.0%), leukaemia (12.9%) and CNS tumours (9.7%). However, the incidence of lymphoma was lower while the incidence of leukaemia was higher than in previous reports from other parts of Nigeria and Africa. The rarity of Ewing's tumour, histocytosis-X and testicular tumours in African children is confirmed in the present study.