title: Paediatric head and neck lymphomas in Papua New Guinea: a review and analysis of 67 cases.
abstract: A retrospective study of head and neck lymphomas in Papua Newguinean children between the age of 0 and 12 years for a 10-year period has been attempted. A total of 67 cases are recorded. This constitutes approximately 23% of all lymphomas seen during this period. There was a male predominance in all groups. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) comprised of 92% of which Burkitt's lymphomas (BL) predominate (64%). Almost 50% of these cases seen were in the age group of 5-8 years. In BL, cheek swelling and upper jaw involvement are the common modes of presentation, however, in 23% of cases advanced disease with multiple sites of involvement are noted. In other NHL cases, approximately 55% presented with cervical lymphadenopathy only, maxillary sinus was affected in four cases and orbit in two cases. Histological evaluation of NHL cases excluding BL revealed two high grade, nine intermediate grade and seven low grade tumours. Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) comprised of 8%. All cases of HL presented with cervical lymphadenopathy. Standard therapeutic modalities for lymphomas with multidrug chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy were followed. Proper prognostic evaluation following the treatment had not been possible in view of poor patient compliance and lack of follow up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Kaleh
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Morewaya
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010219:Papua New Guinea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies