OTHER-06 EPIDEMIOLOGY OF BRAIN AND SPINE TUMOURS – A SINGLE CENTRE DESCRIPTIVE RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Brain and spine tumours are of significant public health concern and lead to severe morbidities and mortalities. The incidence is on the rise, ranking as the fifth (5th) leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Africa. Treatment and prognosis depend on age, tumour location, functional neurological status, extent of tumour resection and histological subtype of tumour. This study aims to describe the patient demographics, clinical presentation, and histological subtypes of central nervous system (CNS) tumours in the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. A retrospective review of the medical records and histopathology reports (reports presented to the unit) of all patients with CNS tumours operated upon in the Neurosurgical Unit, Department of Surgery, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital over the past 17years (2007-2023) was collated. The patients without definitive histopathological diagnosis were excluded from the study. Epidemiological data retrieved include clinical presentation, histological subtype, patient age and sex and the spatial distribution. A total of 327 tumour were recorded in the Neurosurgery unit: 85.3% were Brain Tumours. 178 (54.4%) were females and 149 (45.6%) males. Overall Meningiomas were the commonest CNS tumour encountered forming 32.1% followed by Gliomas, Glioneuronal and Neuronal tumours with 29.4% then Tumours of the Sella region, 19.6%. The commonest Meningioma subtype was Meningothelial (33%). Of the Gliomas, Low grade gliomas formed 69%. The commonest symptom for brain cases were headaches (59.1%) followed by visual impairment (33.0%). Of the spine cases, the prevalent symptom was paraparesis (46.2%) followed with low back pain and bowel and bladder dysfunction at 23.1% respectively. We concluded that Low grade tumours predominate in our setting. It is prudent that we channel efforts towards prompt diagnosis and treatment of such cases.