title: Histological pattern of central nervous system neoplasms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To see in a large series of patients the histological pattern of CNS neoplasms and to provide a comprehensive data about the frequency of CNS neoplasms in Pakistani patients and to give a clearer idea about their prevalence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of all consecutive cases of CNS neoplasms diagnosed at The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) between 1st January, 1994 and 31st December, 1999.
  
  
  METHODS
  The section of Histopathology, AKUH, Karachi.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our series included a large number of cases i.e., 1110. There are very few local studies on CNS tumours and none so large. Our data was correlated with published Western and Pakistani data. Glial tumours were the commonest primary CNS neoplasms followed by meningiomas. Among glial tumours, astrocytomas comprised the largest group and the majority were high grade (III and IV) astrocytomas. Percentages of anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and ependymomas were also significant. Male to female ratio was 1.6:1. However, meningiomas were more common in females. Almost half of the CNS tumours in patients 15 years or younger were in the posterior cranial fossa. Metastatic tumours were much lower as compared to the West.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Except for the high percentages of anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and ependymomas and the low percentage of metastatic tumours, most of our findings roughly correspond with the published data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University, Karachi.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muzaffar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kayani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pervez
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Husainy
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hasan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies