Carcinoma in children at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria

Abstract

Introduction: Carcinomas are an important cause of morbidity and mortality among adults but are relatively uncommon in children. However, a significant number of carcinomas do occur in children, with debilitating consequences. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of all the carcinoma diagnoses in children aged 15 years and below during the 17 years′ study period. Laboratory records from the Department of Pathology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria were extracted and reviewed. The findings were compared with similar studies elsewhere. Results: There were 41 children with confirmed cases of carcinoma, with 24 males and 17 females. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1. The peak age of incidence was 11-15 years. Patients aged less than 6 years constituted only 9.8% of cases. The commonest sites were the skin (29.3%), colon (22.0%), nasopharynx (14.6%), and major and minor salivary glands (14.6%). Conclusion: Carcinomas in children do occur, but are rare. These tumors are diverse and site-specific in their epidemiology, histogenesis, natural history, biologic behavior, morphology, and prognosis.