Clinical Profile of Pediatric Solid Tumors: Experience From a Tertiary Care Center in Ethiopia

TL;DR

This study examines the clinical profile and treatment outcomes of pediatric solid tumors in Ethiopia, highlighting the rising cases and the need for early detection and awareness.

Contribution

The study provides insights into the epidemiology and treatment outcomes of pediatric solid tumors in a low-resource setting in Ethiopia.

Findings

The most frequent tumors were retinoblastoma, Wilms tumor, and rhabdomyosarcoma.

Most patients were from the Oromia region, and 56.1% were male.

Early detection and community awareness could improve outcomes for these patients.

Abstract

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.

This study aims to understand the epidemiological characteristics of these tumors and short‐term treatment outcomes.

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.

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.

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