Soft tissue sarcomas in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria (a referral hospital's study)

Abstract

Background: Soft tissue sarcomas are rare tumours in this environment. Recently, an upsurge in frequency was noticed that called for attention. The aim of this study is to study soft tissue sarcomas based on age, sex of patients, tumour sites and histologic types.

Methodology: A 14 year retrospective study in University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) Port Harcourt. Histological slides previously processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin stains (H & E) were reviewed and re-evaluated. Special stains were also used for proper diagnosis of some tumours. The tumours were classified based on World Health Organization (WHO) classification of soft tissue tumours.

Results: Only 66 soft tissue sarcomas were used for this study which accounted for 2.8% of the total malignancies diagnosed during the period under review. The youngest was a 3 year old girl while the eldest was a 76 year old female. A total of 38 and 28 tumours were diagnosed in males and females respectively, giving a sex ratio of 1.4:1. Rhabdomyosarcoma was most frequent (39.4%) while the least was leiomyosarcoma (1.5%). These tumours are more frequent in the under 20 years (22.7%) and least in 70 years and above (7.6%). The lower limb was most affected (36.4%) while the least was the retroperitoneum (6.1%). The commonest predilection sites vary with different classes of these group malignancies.

Conclusion: Soft tissue malignancies are globally uncommon but they constituted an integral part of malignant tumours causing serious morbidity and mortality in this environment. The recent upsurge noticed necessitated the need for regional studies in Nigeria in order to come up with a national epidemiologic data of these malignancies.