A cross-sectional study of the distribution of pediatric solid tumors at an Indian tertiary cancer centre

Background: Pediatric solid tumors include a heterogeneous group of tumors, and the burden of these tumors, especially from resource-challenged countries, is not well described. The aim of this study was to describe the distribution of solid tumors in children in an Indian tertiary cancer center.Methods: All patients under 12 years of age with histologically confirmed tumors presenting at a tertiary cancer center from January 2014 to January 2019 were identified from the hospital database. Patients with lymphomas, bone, and central nervous tumors were excluded. The demographic profile including age, sex distribution, and the treatment received were recorded for all patients.'Results: The mean age of the eligible 153 patients was 5.7 years with majority (57.3%) in the 0-5 years age group. The male-to-female ratio was 1.6:1 with a male predominance in all tumors except germ cell tumors. Renal tumors were the most common tumors followed by neuroblastoma and soft tissue sarcoma, whereas germ cell and gonadal tumors formed only 8.49% of all tumors.Conclusions: Extracranial and extraosseous pediatric solid tumors include a wide range of tumors with a predilection for male sex and children below 4 years of age. Wilms tumors, neuroblastoma, and soft tissue sarcomas tumors are the most common tumors.

Neutropenia e mucosite oral: fatores de risco para candidiase em crianças com câncer / Neutropenia and oral mucositis: risck factors for candidiasis in children with cancer

A mucosite oral (MO) representa uma complicação estomatológica desafiante em pacientes com câncer, a qual pode causar significativa morbidade e comprometimento dos protocolos de tratamento, podendo ainda representar um risco significativo de infecções oportunista, particularmente em pacientes neutropênicos. Mediante inspeção clinica foi avaliada a ocorrência de MO e candidíase em 40 crianças com neoplasias. A MO foi observada em 13 crianças com neoplasias sistêmicas (n = 25) e 3 com tumores sólidos (n = 15), sem diferença estatisticamente significativa na ocorrência desta complicação entre as crianças com neoplasias sistêmicas e aquelas com tumores sólidos (p = 1,69). Observou-se que 5 crianças em tratamento para neoplasias sistêmicas desenvolveram em conjunto 10 lesões de candidíase, porém sem diferença estatisticamente significativa na ocorrência desta infecção entre as crianças com neoplasias sistêmicas e aquelas com tumores sólidos (p = 0,08). Constatou- se a ocorrência de 26 (7,3%) episódios de neutropenia, sendo 5 destes associados à ocorrência candidiase, nenhum dos quais ocorreu associado à presença concomitante de MO. A neutropenia contribui para o desenvolvimento de candidíase, a qual pode ser agravada pela falta de higiene oral, entre outros fatores.

The oral mucositis (OM) is a challenging stomatologic complication in patients with cancer, which may cause significant morbidity and impairment of treatment protocols and may represent a significant risk of opportunistic infections, particularly in neutropenic patients. Upon inspection clinic was assessed the occurrence of OM and candidiasis in 40 children with malignancies. By hematologic laboratorial exam was availed de absolute neutrophil count (ANC). The OM was observed in 13 children with systemic neoplasms (n = 25) and 3 with solid tumors (n = 15), no statistically significant difference was observed in the occurrence of this complication among children with systemic malignanciesand those with solid tumors (p = 1, 69). It was observed that 5 children in treatment for systemic cancers developed together 10 lesions of candidiasis, but no statistically significant difference was observed in the occurrence of this infection among children with systemic malignancies and those with solid tumors (p = 0.08). It was observed the occurrence of 26 (7.3%) episodes of neutropenia, 5 of them associated with the occurrence of candidiasis, none of which were associated with concomitant presence of OM. The neutropenia contributes to the development of candidiasis, which may be aggravated by defficient oral hygiene, among other factors.

Paediatric solid tumours in Nigerian children: a changing pattern?

Background: Childhood cancer is fast becoming an important paediatric problem in Nigeria and several parts of Africa; with the progressive decline of infectious and nutritional diseases. The following study was a 5-year retrospective review of paediatric solid tumours as seen at the Jos University Teaching Hospital; Nigeria. Objective: To determine the relative frequencies of childhood solid malignant tumours in Jos; Central Nigeria and compare with reports of previous studies both locally and abroad. Materials and Methods: Cancer registers and medical records of patients were used to extract demographic data; specimen number and/or codes. Archival materials were retrieved from the histopathology laboratory and sections were made from paraffin embedded blocks of these specimens. Slides of these histological sections were reviewed and reclassified where necessary. The relative frequencies were then determined. Results: One hundred and eighty one solid tumours of children were diagnosed within the study period. Ninety-four (51) were benign and 87 (49) malignant. Male: Female ratio was 1.3:1. The commonest malignant tumour diagnosed was rhabdomyosarcoma which accounted for 27 (31); comprising of 15 (55.6); 11 (40.7) and 1 (3.7) embryonal; alveolar and pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcomas; respectively. Non Hodgkin lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma accounted for 17 (19.5) and 12 (13.8); respectively. Conclusion: Based on the result of our study; we conclude that the commonest solid malignancy of childhood in Jos; Nigeria is rhabdomyosarcoma. This has implications for diagnosis; management and prognosis of theses soft tissue sarcomas in our paediatric population

Non-lymphomatous malignancies associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infected patients.

Non-lymphomatous malignancies may also develop in immunocompromised patients. However a detail study about the cases is lacking. Here we describe four cases of solid tumours in HIV seropositive patients.