Histopathology of Orofacial Tumours and Cysts Seen at Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The epidemiology of the histopathology of head and neck tumours in Nigeria have been well documented in the literature;  however, it continues to receive significant attention among researchers. This is due to the differences reported between regions, urban  versus semi urban centres as well as dental teaching hospitals as against institutions without dental schools. In addition, majority of the  literature on this subject also relied on data from the Southern part of the country. The aim of this study was to review and present cases  seen at a non-dental school-tertiary and semi urban centre, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Materials and methods: Clinical and histopathology records of the Departments of Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery and Pathology, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital,  Gwagwalada, Nigeria, were reviewed for orofacial tumours seen from 2015 to 2020. Data were analysed and results presented as means  and frequencies.

Results: One hundred and five cases were recorded during the study period. Two cases with inadequate data were  excluded. There were fifty males and fifty-three females (1:1.1). The ages ranged between 3months and 83years (mean 29.12 ±17.97)  years. The mean ages of males and females were 31.04 ±16.27 years and 27.02 ±19.6 years respectively. There were 66 benign and 13  malignant tumours, being 64% and 12.6% of the total number of cases respectively. Nineteen (18.4%) cases were cysts. Ameloblastoma  was the commonest benign tumour (21, 31.4% o). There was no clearly predominant malignant tumour recorded. The maxilla was the  most commonly affected site (74, 70.4%).

Conclusion: The frequency and sites of the histopathologic types of lesions observed in this  study is rather dissimilar to previous reports from various parts of Nigeria. This may be due to referral pattern to this centre amongst  other factors, rather than differences in geographic disease pattern.