Histopathological review of solid tumours in neonates at University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria.

A retrospective analysis of solid tumours in children less than 28days old over a 31 year period (1978-2008) was carried out at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) to determine the incidence and histological patterns of such tumours. A total of 17 cases were seen during the study period: 16 cases (9 in males and 7 in females) were benign and 1 was malignant and it was recorded in the male gender. Vascular tumours (n=9), granular cell tumours (n=4), teratomas (n=2) and myxofibroma (n=1) were the histological types of benign tumours seen. The only malignant tumour encountered was a rhabdomyosarcoma. Head and neck was the commonest location of the tumours and most cases presented within 2 weeks of birth.

Medicolegal childhood deaths in Benin City, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Children under the age of 15 years constitute over 40% of the population in developing countries of the world including Nigeria. Deaths in this age group also contribute over 40% of total mortality in the general population; a significant proportion of these deaths is of medicolegal importance. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the frequency and pattern of medicolegal deaths during childhood period. METHODS: The study was a retrospective analysis of all autopsies performed in children less than 15 years of age by the Police Pathologist attached to the Police Medical Unit in Benin City between January 1998 and December 2002. We analysed the deaths by age, sex, and circumstance of death. RESULTS: Ninety-four medicolegal deaths occurred in children under 15 years of age during the period under review. Eighty (85.1%) were sudden unnatural deaths (SUDs) while 14(14.9%) were sudden unexpected natural deaths (SUNDs). Causes of SUDs were accidents 72 (90%), homicides seven (8.8%) and suicide one (1.2%). The major causes of SUNDs were infections seven (50%) and haemodynamic disorders three (21.5%). CONCLUSION: Preventable accidental deaths make up most of the medicolegal childhood deaths in our environment. These deaths can be reduced if adequate measures backed up by favourable government policies are put in place.

Malignant childhood solid tumours in Benin City, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Tumours are uncommon in childhood; malignancies are even more uncommon. Yet malignancies are among the leading causes of childhood death in many parts of the world. The pattern of these tumours in Benin City Nigeria, however, is not known. OBJECTIVE: To describe the pattern and histological types of childhood tumours in a Nigerian teaching hospital. METHODS: All histologically diagnosed cases of malignant solid tumours in children less than 15 years of age seen over a 10 year at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) Benin City of southern Nigeria were analysed in order to determine their histological patterns. RESULTS: Eighty-four cases of malignant tumours were seen during the 10-year period (1993 to 2002) in children less than 15 years of age at the UBTH Benin City. Forty-nine (50.3%) cases occurred in males and 35 (41.7%) in females. There was a decline in the frequency of childhood cancer with increasing age. The histological types, in descending order of frequency, were lymphoma 28(33.3%), nephroblastoma 18 (21.4%), retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma 12 (14.3%) each, and carcinoma 9 (10.7%). The head and neck region was the commonest location for all the various histological types (except tumours arising from tissues specific to other regions e.g. nephroblastoma). About 40% of all tumours occurred in the head and neck compared to 32% that occurred in the abdomen. CONCLUSION: Malignant childhood solid tumour pattern in Benin City Nigeria is similar to that observed in other third world countries.