Malignant solid tumours in Nigerian children.

The subject of neoplasia in African children has received little or no attention within the past two decades. The current study retrospectively reviews malignant solid tumours in children from birth up to the age of 15 years over an 11 year period in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. During this period, 71 pc of solid tumours seen in children were malignant and boys were more often affected than girls. The peak incidence was between the ages of six and 13 years. Lymphoma was the commonest type of tumour, accounting for 72.6 pc of all malignant solid tumours and males predominated. All the rhabdomyosarcomas were seen in boys and the alveolar variant predominated. Osteogenic sarcoma and nephroblastoma were more often seen in girls. No primary brain tumour was seen.