Histopathologic Patterns of Central Nervous System Tumors, A Five-Year Retrospective Study from September 2019 To August 2024 at Tikur-Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Date
2025-01-13
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Tumors of the Central Nervous System (CNS) encompass a wide range of neoplasms with different histopathologic patterns, clinical behaviors, and prognoses. Cancers affecting the brain and CNS make up about 3% of cancer cases worldwide. Prognoses for CNS tumors differ depending on the histologic type and age.
Objectives: This study focused on determining the histopathologic patterns of CNS tumors at a tertiary hospital in Ethiopia over five years, from September 2019 to August 2024.
Methods and Materials: The study is a retrospective descriptive analysis of histopathologic patterns of tumors of the CNS at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is conducted on 993 patients having a histopathologic diagnosis of CNS tumors at TASH, in which patients’ data were collected from the Department of Pathology from September 2019 to August 2024.
Result: Out of the 993 CNS tumor cases found in the five-year study period and analyzed, 856 cases (85.9) were in adults and the remaining 140 cases (14.1) were in pediatric patients aged 18 years or less. Patients' ages range from 3 months to 80 years having a mean age of 36.6 years, median age 37 years, peak age in the 4th decade (25.7%), and an overall male to female (M: F) ratio of 1:1.26. The vast majority of tumors were localized to the brain (928 cases, 88.3%). Low-grade tumors (WHO Grades 1 and 2) dominated both in the spinal cord (62/64 cases, 96.9%) and the brain (594/756 cases, 78.6%) but high-grade tumors (WHO Grades 3 and 4) were more common in the brain as compared to the spinal cord tumors. Meningiomas were the most prevalent tumors representing 41.5% and showing a female predominance with a M:F ratio 1:2.3. Gliomas, Glioneuronal, and Neuronal tumors were the second most frequent tumors (20.2%) showing a male predominance with a M:F ratio 1.2:1.
Conclusion: Despite improvements in diagnostic imaging and molecular genetics, histopathologic assessment remains crucial for classifying and treating CNS tumors. The histopathologic patterns of CNS tumors in this study are generally similar to studies done in different parts of the world.
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CNS, Glioma, Meningioma, TASH, Ethiopia