Department of Paediatrics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra, Nigeria.
Department of Anatomic Pathology and Forensic Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra, Nigeria.
BMC Cancer. 2024 Aug 2;24(1):943. doi: 10.1186/s12885-024-12723-7.
Paediatric solid tumours, both benign and malignant, present significant health challenges, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where comprehensive data is limited. This study aims to elucidate the prevalence, distribution, and treatment outcomes of paediatric solid neoplasms in a tertiary hospital in South-East Nigeria over a seven-year period.
A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria. Clinical details and histological slides of confirmed cases from January 2016 to December 2022 were reviewed. Data extraction focused on socio-demographic variables and treatment outcomes, analysed using statistical methods.
The study included 293 children diagnosed with solid tumours (58.1% malignant, 41.9% benign), with a female predominance (61.8%). The median age at diagnosis was 12 years. Fibroadenoma was the most common benign tumour (61.8% of benign cases), while non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the predominant malignant tumour (18.2% of malignant cases). Treatment abandonment rates differed significantly between benign (13.8%) and malignant (51.2%) tumours. Significant associations were found between treatment outcomes and factors such as gender (p = 0.0001 for benign tumours), age category (p = 0.0001 for benign tumours), and specific diagnoses (p = 0.0001 for both benign and malignant tumours).
This study underscores the substantial burden of paediatric solid tumours in South-East Nigeria and highlights the critical need for improved treatment adherence strategies, particularly for malignant cases. The findings emphasize the importance of tailored interventions based on tumour type, age, and gender. These insights can inform future research, policy formulation, and healthcare strategies aimed at enhancing the management and outcomes of paediatric solid neoplasms in resource-limited settings.
小儿实体瘤，包括良性和恶性肿瘤，都带来了重大的健康挑战，尤其是在撒哈拉以南非洲，那里的综合数据有限。本研究旨在阐明过去七年在尼日利亚东南部一家三级医院中儿童实体瘤的流行率、分布和治疗结果。
本研究为回顾性队列研究，在尼日利亚纳姆迪·阿齐基韦大学教学医院（NAUTH）进行。对 2016 年 1 月至 2022 年 12 月确诊病例的临床资料和组织学切片进行了回顾。数据提取主要集中在社会人口统计学变量和治疗结果上，并使用统计方法进行分析。
本研究共纳入 293 例诊断为实体瘤的儿童（58.1%为恶性肿瘤，41.9%为良性肿瘤），其中女性居多（61.8%）。中位诊断年龄为 12 岁。纤维腺瘤是最常见的良性肿瘤（占良性肿瘤的 61.8%），而非霍奇金淋巴瘤是最常见的恶性肿瘤（占恶性肿瘤的 18.2%）。良性（13.8%）和恶性（51.2%）肿瘤之间的治疗放弃率有显著差异。治疗结果与性别（良性肿瘤 p=0.0001）、年龄类别（良性肿瘤 p=0.0001）和具体诊断（良性和恶性肿瘤均为 p=0.0001）等因素之间存在显著关联。
本研究强调了东南尼日利亚儿童实体瘤的巨大负担，并突出了需要改善治疗依从性策略的紧迫性，特别是恶性肿瘤。研究结果强调了根据肿瘤类型、年龄和性别制定个性化干预措施的重要性。这些发现为未来的研究、政策制定和医疗保健策略提供了信息，旨在改善资源有限环境中儿童实体瘤的管理和结果。
