Histopathologic spectrum of childhood tumours in a Tertiary Hospital: a ten-year review

BACKGROUND: There has been a growing public health burden of childhood tumours in low and middle income countries (LMICs) as the trend in epidemiological transition continues to vary. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this report is to determine the spectrum of childhood tumours at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. METHODS: A retrospective review of the histopathology register over the period January 2006 to December 2015. RESULTS: The total paediatric tumour cases was 248, including 143 (57.7%) females and 105 (42.3%) males, aged 0 – 12 years (mean 6.1 years ± 3.97 SD). The age group 2 – 5 year cohort had the highest prevalence of tumour. The predominant tumour based on tissue of origin was epithelial neoplasms 88 (35.5%), vascular neoplasms 56 (22.6%), neural neoplasm 42 (16.9%), mesenchymal neoplasm 37 (14.9%), germ cell neoplasm 13 (5.2%) and haematopoietic neoplasms 12 (4.8%). Majority of the tumours were benign, 148 (59.7%) and malignant 100 (40.3%). The most predominant benign tumour was haemangioma 33 (13.3%) and predominant malignant tumour was lymphoma 22 (8.9%). CONCLUSION: Benign tumours remain the commonest neoplasm of children in this hospital-based data. Development and implementation of a tumour registry would provide a more comprehensive information.