Paediatric renal tumours in Port Harcourt: A five-year retrospective study

Francis Isesoma Gbobo 1 and Victor Abhulimen 2, *

1 Department of Surgery, Paediatric Surgery Unit, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
2 Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 16(02), 636–645
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2022.16.2.1203
 
Publication history: 
Received on 04 October 2022; revised on 10 November 2022; accepted on 13 November 2022
 
Abstract: 
Wilms’ tumour is the most common among renal tumours in the paediatric population. In Africa, data on pediatric renal tumours are rare. This study aims to highlight the challenges and peculiarities in the management of paediatric renal tumours in a resource-poor setting.
Materials and Methods This is a five-year retrospective study conducted at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. Ethical approval for the study was sought and gotten from the hospital’s ethical committee.
The information gotten includes history, duration of symptoms, examination findings, age of the patient, stage of disease, intraoperative findings, number of chemotherapies, and post-operative complications. The data collected was analyzed and presented in tables and charts.   
Results: Twenty-eight patients met the inclusion criteria; 17 males and 11 females. The mean age was 3 years 6 months and the median age was 3 years 3 months. The age range was 9 months to 16 years. Most patients presented between 3 and 9 months after the onset of symptoms. The most common symptom was a painless abdominal mass which was present in all patients. Most patients presented late as fifty percent of patients presented with Stage 4 disease. Most patients had nephrectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Only three patients are alive five years after treatment.
Conclusion: Mean age of presentation of patients with pediatric renal tumours was 3.5years. Late presentation with advanced stage is common. Painless abdominal mass was the most common presentation. The most common histological diagnosis was Wilm’s tumour. We carried out a nephrectomy before adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
 
Keywords: 
Pediatric renal tumours; Wilm’s tumour; Prognosis; Late presentation
 
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