Pattern of childhood and adolescent malignancies at a tertiary health institution in South-east Nigeria : A ten year study

Background: Cancer remains a major cause of death in children and adolescents, and differs in adults in nature, distribution and prognosis1. A culture of case documentation is lacking in our environment and many cases go unreported.Study objectives: To document the pattern of childhood and adolescent malignancies at a tertiary health institution in south-east Nigeria over a ten year period (January 2004 to December 2013)Methodology: Details of all children and adolescents aged 18 years and below treated for malignancy were extracted from the cancer registry and the records unit of the histopathology department for the period beginning at January 2004 to December 2013 at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria. Information retrieved was verified against the hospital admission register, as well as the medical and histopathology records for all cancer patients over the period of interest.Results: Eighty-five cases of childhood and adolescent malignancy were treated at NAUTH, Nnewi between January 2004 and December 2013. Median age of the study population was 9years, with a range of 0.1– 18years, more males (56.50%) than females (43.50%). Commonest tumours were the Lymphomas (11.76%) comprising Non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma (80%), Hodgkin’s lymphoma (10%) and Large-cell lymphoma (10%), the Leukaemias (11.76%) comprising Acute myeloblastic leukaemia (80%) and Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (20%). Others were Rhabdomyosarcoma (11.76%), Nephroblastoma (11.76%), Retinoblastoma (5.88%), Ovarian tumours (4.71%), the Soft tissue sarcomas-excluding rhabdomyosarcoma (3.53%) and Osteogenic sarcoma (3.35%)’.Conclusion: Study findings suggest that lymphoma, leukaemia, rhabdomyosarcoma and nephroblastoma are the commonest childhood and adolescent malignancies in south-east Nigeria.Keywords: Childhood, Adolescent, Malignanc

Histopathologic effect of potassium bromate on the kidney of adult wistar rats.

Objective: We aimed to demonstrate the histopathologic effects of potassium bromate (KBrO ) on the kidney tissues of rats following 3short-term and long-term exposures.Method: Twenty young wistar rats of weights 180-250g were divided into three groups. The control group A was sub-divided into two groups of three rats each and orally administered with 1ml of distilled water daily for 7 days and 21 days respectively; the experimental groups B and C were administered with 75 mg/kg body weight/day dosage of KBrO orally for 1 week and 3 weeks 3 respectively.Results: Histopathological examination of the experimental groups showed haemorrhagic, necrotic and degenerative changes in the kidney tissues compared with the control group, which maintained normal kidney tissues. These histological changes were marked in group C animals exposed to KBrO for 3 weeks compared to those exposed for 1 week. 3             Conclusion: The present study indicated that both short-term and long-term exposures to sub-lethal dose of KBrO caused alterations 3in the histology of the kidney of wistar rats. These alterations may account for the various nephrotoxic effects associated with exposure to KBrO In addition, some of the histopathologic effects were marked in long-term compared to short-term exposure to 3. KBrO , thus indicating duration-dependent effect of KBrO consumption.Key Words: Potassium bromate, Wistar rats, Histopathology, Kidneys, Nephrotoxi