Patterns of malignant tumors of the brain and spinal cord in Bahrain: Fifty two year period

To review malignant neoplasms of the brain and spinal cord in Bahrain, and to compare the incidence with other parts of the world. A retrospective study. All Histopathology Departments in Bahrain. Data relating to all malignant CNS neoplasms which were diagnosed histologically in Bahrain were extracted from the relevant patient medical records. All tumors were histologically diagnosed in Bahrain between 1952 and 2004. There were 103 malignant CNS tumors representing 1.4% of all malignancies histologically reported during the same period. Of the 103 patients, 77 [74.8%] were Bahraini. Of the Bahraini patients, thirty-one [40.3%] were female and the male: female ratio was 1.48:1. Sixty-two of the 77 Bahraini tumors [80.5%] were primary brain tumors, nine [11.7%] were primary spinal cord tumors, and six [7.8%] were secondary tumors. Astrocytoma and medulloblastoma were the commonest primary malignant CNS neoplasms in both adults and children. The apparent incidence of malignant brain and spinal cord neoplasms in Bahrain is very low. The small Bahraini population, inefficient registration of cancers, and the lack of routine hospital autopsies are contributory factors for the low numbers observed

Non-Langerhans cell histocytosis of the skin

Histiocytic proliferations may be reactive or neoplastic. The neoplastic proliferations [histiocytoses] are subdivided into a few categories. One of these categories is the non-Langerhan's cell histiocytoses [NLCH]. Cutaneous NLCH is a heterogeneous collection of conditions which can be sub grouped on the basis of the morphological appearance of the lesional histiocyte into xanthomatized, oncocytic, vacuolated, spindle-cell and polymorphous subtypes. The clinical characteristics and histological appearances of a variety of conditions within each subtype are discussed