Tumours and tumour-like lesions of the oral and perioral structures of Nigerian children.

One hundred and fifty-eight children less or equal to 15 years were isolated from a retrospective 20-year (1979-1998) survey of oral and perioral tumours and tumour-like lesions in Nigeria. These children represent 16.8% of the cases seen. Lesions of children less or equal to 15 years were benign non-odontogenic (n = 70, 44.3%), benign odontogenic (n = 41, 25.9%) and malignant (n = 47, 27.7%). Predominantly Children between 11 and 15 years (n = 89, 56.3%) were afflicted and the male to female ratio was 1.4 to 1.0. Sites recorded were the jawbones, cheeks, gingival, forearm, testis and the spleen. The ratio of malignant lesions in Nigerian and African children appears to be higher than in the Caucasian population (2.4:1).