An Audit of Childhood Orofacial Tumours Seen in a Tertiary Hospital in South-South Nigeria Audit of Childhood Orofacial Tumours Seen South-South

Abstract

Background: Several orofacial tumours affect children, and these tumours pose a major health challenge due to the associated morbidity and mortality, mostly with malignant tumours.

Objective: To determine the clinico-pathologic pattern of childhood orofacial tumours seen in a tertiary health institution in South-south Nigeria.

Method: A cross-sectional retrospective study from the histopathology archives of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, over 15 years (2008–2022). All the tumours of the orofacial region histopathologically diagnosed in patients 16 years and below were assessed and reviewed.

Results: A total of 105 cases were included. There were 61 males (58.1%) and 44 females (41.9), giving a male-to-female ratio of 1.4:1. The age range was 2 to 16 years with a mean age of 9.55+3.973 years. The peak age of the tumours was observed in the 13 to 16 years age groups (n=31, 29.5%). The mandible (n=43, 41.0%) was the site most commonly affected, followed by the maxilla (n=18, 17.1%). The lymphomas were the most common tumours observed (n=34, 32.4%), consisting mostly of Burkitt’s lymphoma (n=22, 21.1%). The lymphomas were mostly seen among the 5 to 8 years age group (n=19, 55.9%), with 73.5% of them occurring more in males (n=25) and affecting the mandible (n=13, 38.2%) mostly.

Conclusion: This study shows that orofacial tumours in children are diverse, and the most prevalent were Lymphomas, especially the Burkitt’s type. A good understanding of these tumours in children by clinicians would assist with the timely identification of cases and actions instituted to adequately manage them.