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Pattern of childhood malignancy in Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana
1Department of Child Health and Surgery, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana.
Insights
Pediatric cancer in Ghana shows lymphoma, particularly Burkitt's Lymphoma, as the most common malignancy. This pattern differs significantly from Western countries, highlighting regional variations in childhood cancers.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Cancer Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood cancer patterns vary globally.
- Understanding local cancer epidemiology is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document the pattern of childhood malignancies at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana.
- To compare the observed cancer trends with those in other regions.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pediatric cancer registry data.
- Analysis of 254 malignancy cases from 15,200 admissions over 40 months.
Main Results:
- Malignancies constituted 1.67% of pediatric admissions.
- Lymphoma was the most frequent diagnosis (67%), with Burkitt's Lymphoma as the commonest subtype.
- Retinoblastoma (8.6%), Leukaemia (8.2%), and Wilms tumour (7.8%) were the next most common.
Conclusions:
- The study identified a high incidence of lymphoma in Ghanaian children.
- This pattern contrasts with higher leukaemia rates in Europe and North America.
- Findings underscore the need for region-specific pediatric cancer research and healthcare strategies.
Abstract:
Data from the cancer register in the Department of Child Health, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Accra, Ghana was reviewed in order to document the pattern of malignancies seen in children. Out of a total of 15,200 admissions over a 40 month period there were 254 malignancies diagnosed constituting 1.67% of all admission. Lymphoma was the commonest tumour constituting 67% with Burkitt's Lymphoma being the commonest subtype. This was followed by Retinoblastoma (8.6%), Leukaemia (8.2%) and Wilms tumour (7.8%). This trend is similar to the picture seen in other developing countries in Africa where there is a high incidence of lymphoma and a low incidence of leukaemia, the converse being the case in Europe and North America.