Retrospective study of childhood burkitts lymphoma in north eastern Nigeria.

Background: Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is one of the leading childhood cancers in tropical Africa. Despite this, after extensive literature search most literature reviews on BL found were old. Therefore, it is useful to learn the trend in the epidemiology of BL in north eastern Nigeria especially now that changing ecology of the disease are being published.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of BL, and the pattern of distribution of the tumour in relation to gender, sites and socio-demographic background of children.

Methods: A retrospective study of cases of BL over a 20 year period in the Paediatric Department of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) was conducted. A structured questionnaire was used to document socio-demographic characteristics and clinical features for all cases. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16 Illinois, Chicago USA and a computer program for epidemiologist (PEPI version 3.01). Student t test was used to test for significance of means. Kendall's rank correlation coefficient (tau b) hand Jonckheere-Terpstra test of relationship of socio-demographic variables and presenting symptoms of BL were determined. Likely ratio Chi-square (c2) by William's criterion was used to investigate association between yearly prevalence and trends in time and also between anatomical sites and staging of BL.

Results: During the period, 49 cases, 32 (65.3%) males and 17 (34.7%) females, were identified out of the 29,636 total paediatric admissions during the period under review. The prevalence of BL was 0.17%. , The 6-10-year age bracket were mostly affected by BL 31 (63.3%) and males had the disease more than females (p = 0.021). The majority of children affected by BL were the Fulani ethnic group 15 (30.6%), those from Borno state 18 (36.7%) and rural dwellers 20 (40.8%). Most patients presented with stage C disease 27 (42.9%), and the most common primary site was the maxilla 11 (40.7). There was no significant change in yearly prevalence of Burkitts lymphoma (P = 0.983). The association between anatomical sites and staging of BL was significant (p = 0.003).

Conclusions: Males were more prone to BL than females and most cases of BL presented late to the hospital. There is no significant change in the yearly occurrence of BL. Socio-demographic and clinical features did not contribute significantly to the epidemiology of BL.