Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in Ethiopia
ABSTRACT Background Pediatric solid tumors are a significant health challenge worldwide, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries such as Ethiopia, where healthcare infrastructure is limited and treatment modalities are scarce. Aims This study aims to understand the epidemiological characteris...
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2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/cnr2.70222 |
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| author | Mamude Dinkiye Deme Abdissa Tadele Hailu Aziza T. Shad Yoram Unguru |
| author_facet | Mamude Dinkiye Deme Abdissa Tadele Hailu Aziza T. Shad Yoram Unguru |
| author_sort | Mamude Dinkiye |
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| description | ABSTRACT Background Pediatric solid tumors are a significant health challenge worldwide, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries such as Ethiopia, where healthcare infrastructure is limited and treatment modalities are scarce. Aims This study aims to understand the epidemiological characteristics of these tumors and short‐term treatment outcomes. Methods and Results A retrospective study spanning a period of 2 years and 8 months was conducted among all children below age 15 years admitted to St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College hemato‐oncology unit with a pediatric solid tumor. Data from patient charts was extrapolated and analyzed using SPSS version 29. A total of 173 pediatric solid tumor patients were identified over the study period. 22.6% of patients were treated in the first year, 34.6% of patients were treated in the second year, and 42.8% of patients were treated in the last 8 months of the study period. 56.1% of them were males. Most patients came from the Oromia region. The most frequent solid tumors were retinoblastoma, Wilms tumor, and rhabdomyosarcoma. Eighty‐six patients are still on treatment, 23 patients achieved complete remission, 4 relapsed, 2 were defaulters, 5 patients were lost to follow‐up, 21 died, 5 were referred to other hospitals, and 10 opted against treatment. Conclusion The study reveals a rising trend in childhood solid tumor cases over the years. A significant proportion of patients achieved remission, whereas most remain under treatment or follow‐up care. A relatively small percentage experienced relapses, with some cases of defaulters, loss to follow‐up, and a few instances of mortality. Implementing early detection strategies and community‐based awareness programs could improve outcomes by encouraging timely diagnosis and intervention. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ea89ba8a2c5e42818ddeb6272136fb52 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2573-8348 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancer Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-ea89ba8a2c5e42818ddeb6272136fb522025-08-20T03:22:15ZengWileyCancer Reports2573-83482025-05-0185n/an/a10.1002/cnr2.70222Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in EthiopiaMamude Dinkiye0Deme Abdissa1Tadele Hailu2Aziza T. Shad3Yoram Unguru4Department of Pediatrics and Child Health School of Medicine, Saint Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College Addis Ababa EthiopiaDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health School of Medicine, Saint Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College Addis Ababa EthiopiaDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health School of Medicine, Saint Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College Addis Ababa EthiopiaDivision of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology The Herman and Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai Baltimore Maryland USADivision of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology The Herman and Walter Samuelson Children's Hospital at Sinai Baltimore Maryland USAABSTRACT Background Pediatric solid tumors are a significant health challenge worldwide, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries such as Ethiopia, where healthcare infrastructure is limited and treatment modalities are scarce. Aims This study aims to understand the epidemiological characteristics of these tumors and short‐term treatment outcomes. Methods and Results A retrospective study spanning a period of 2 years and 8 months was conducted among all children below age 15 years admitted to St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College hemato‐oncology unit with a pediatric solid tumor. Data from patient charts was extrapolated and analyzed using SPSS version 29. A total of 173 pediatric solid tumor patients were identified over the study period. 22.6% of patients were treated in the first year, 34.6% of patients were treated in the second year, and 42.8% of patients were treated in the last 8 months of the study period. 56.1% of them were males. Most patients came from the Oromia region. The most frequent solid tumors were retinoblastoma, Wilms tumor, and rhabdomyosarcoma. Eighty‐six patients are still on treatment, 23 patients achieved complete remission, 4 relapsed, 2 were defaulters, 5 patients were lost to follow‐up, 21 died, 5 were referred to other hospitals, and 10 opted against treatment. Conclusion The study reveals a rising trend in childhood solid tumor cases over the years. A significant proportion of patients achieved remission, whereas most remain under treatment or follow‐up care. A relatively small percentage experienced relapses, with some cases of defaulters, loss to follow‐up, and a few instances of mortality. Implementing early detection strategies and community‐based awareness programs could improve outcomes by encouraging timely diagnosis and intervention.https://doi.org/10.1002/cnr2.70222clinical profileEthiopiapediatric solid tumors |
| spellingShingle | Mamude Dinkiye Deme Abdissa Tadele Hailu Aziza T. Shad Yoram Unguru Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in Ethiopia Cancer Reports clinical profile Ethiopia pediatric solid tumors |
| title | Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in Ethiopia |
| title_full | Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in Ethiopia |
| title_short | Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in Ethiopia |
| title_sort | clinical profile of pediatric solid tumors experience from a tertiary care center in ethiopia |
| topic | clinical profile Ethiopia pediatric solid tumors |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/cnr2.70222 |
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