Background
Brain tumors represent group of neoplasms originating from intracranial tissues and the meninges. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological profile of brain tumors seen in a referral health center in Cameroon. We carried out a 10-year retrospective study in the neurosurgical, neurology, pathology, oncology and radiotherapy units of our hospital.
Results
We found 150 complete case files accounting for 0.7% of total admissions in the various units. Males accounted for 50.7% of the cases. Children less than 14 years represented 12.7% of cases (n = 19). Primary brain tumors constituted 92% (n = 138). Most patients with primary brain tumors were between 25 and 54 years of age, making up 57% of cases (n = 79). The most prevalent histological type of brain tumor was meningioma (26%, n = 39), followed by astrocytoma (24.7%, n = 37), and pituitary adenomas (18%, n = 27). The majority of cases presented with signs of raised intracranial pressure with headache being the most frequent symptom (88%). Some patients presented with seizures (34%), neurological deficit (13%), visual disturbances (10%), and cognitive disorders (7%).
Conclusion
Young adults represent the most affected age group. Meningioma, astrocytoma and pituitary adenomas were the most frequent brain tumors in adults. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term outcome of patients with BTs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.