Pattern of childhood malignancies in a University referral Hospital in Addis Ababa

Abstract

A retrospective analysis of 77 patients below the age of 15 years with childhood malignancy
admitted to the pediatric wards of Tikur Anbessa Hospital (TAH) in Addis Ababa during a 2
year period from January 2005 up to December 2006 is presented. Malignancies accounted
for 3.1% of all admissions during this period. There were 55 (71.8%) males and 22(28.2%)
females, with ages ranging from 3 months up to 12 years; 35 (44.9%) patients were in the
age group 0-5years. The commonest malignancy was Wilm’s tumor, which contributed for
19(24.7%) of cases.

Fever, weight loss, abdominal mass, pallor, lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly were
the leading clinical presentations of patients with malignancy. Over two-third of the patients
were 53 (68.8%) presented in advanced stage of the disease. Diagnosis was confirmed by
Hematology and /or histopathology tests. Patients who were presented with intracranial
space occupying lesion without Computerized tomography (CT) were excluded from the
analysis.