Childhood vascular Tumours in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Vasoformative tumours are one of the commonest tumours in childhood. The patterns of these tumours in Benin City, however, are not known. Objective: To determine the incidence and morphological patterns of childhood vascular tumours as seen in the Department of Pathology University of Benin Teaching Hospital (U.B.TH), Benin City. Method: The study was a 23year (January 1986 – December 2008) retrospective analysis of all histologically confirmed vascular tumours in children aged 0-14years in the Department of Pathology University of Benin Teaching Hospital (U.B.TH), Benin City.
Results: 82 vascular tumours occurring in 48 males and 34 females were reviewed. This comprised 71 benign cases (56 haemangiomas, 15 lymphangiomas), 7 tumours of intermediate grade (5 haemangioendodethelioma and 2 haemangiopericytoma) and 4 malignant cases (Kaposi sarcoma). Vascular tumours were commonest in infancy and early childhood and most of the tumours were located in the head and neck region of the body.
Conclusion: Vascular tumours are relatively common during the childhood period in our environment and the morphological patterns are similar to those found by previous investigators.

Key words: Childhood, Vascular tumours, Haemangioma, Kaposi’s sarcoma.