Childhood brain tumors in Mali.

Abstract

to assess epidemiologic and clinical aspects of childhood brain tumors in Mali. a retrospective, descriptive study of children aged 0-15 years with brain tumors, conducted in the pediatrics department of the Gabriel Touré University Hospital Center in Bamako, Mali, from January 31, 2007 to December 3, 2012. In all, 41 cases of brain tumors were recorded during this period (mean: 5.5 years old; range: 1-12 years). Brain tumors were most frequent in the children aged 2-5 years (53.7%) and among boys (53.7%). Late stage at presentation was relatively frequent (34.1%) with a mean time to diagnosis of 10 months. Features of elevated intracranial pressure were the most frequent mode of revelation of primary tumors (26.8%). Supratentorial tumors accounted for 83% of the cases, and gliomas were most frequently (29.3%) identified on computed tomography. Only five patients underwent surgical tumor removal. A broader study including the other hospitals in Bamako could help to assess more accurately the epidemiology of pediatric brain tumors in Mali.