Audit of oral neoplasms in children and young adults in Nigeria

Background Orofacial neoplasms in children and young adults may differ significantly from those observed in adults. Our aim was to describe the epidemiological characteristics of histologically diagnosed orofacial neoplasms among children and young adults in Nigeria. Methods This was a multicenter cross-sectional study across geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Annual reports of clinical information and surgical biopsies submitted at the Oral Pathology Laboratory, clinic day registries, surgical day case registries and operative theatre registries were retrieved from January 2008 to March 2024. The relevant demographic data were obtained for each patient. The study subjects were categorized by age into children, adolescents and young adults. Tissue involvement was classified as soft tissue involvement, bony involvement or both soft tissue and bony involvement. The site and behaviour of the lesions were subdivided according to the ICD-10 codes. Statistical analysis was performed via the R programming language. Results A total of 1889 cases were observed during the period under review, with a mean age of 15 years. Cases were more common in females (52%) and in young adults (47%). Most cases were benign neoplasms (85%), and bony affectation (54%) was slightly predominant. Odontogenic tumours (38%) and fibro-osseous lesions (20%) were the most common category of lesions observed, whereas salivary gland tumours (2.2%) and neoplasms of epithelial origin (2.5%) were the least common. Neoplasms in children involved mostly soft tissues, whereas those in adolescents and young adults had a preference for bone (p < 0.001). In all age groups, benign lesions were mostly observed in the mouth and pharynx. For malignant lesions, in children, the bones of the skull and face were mostly involved, whereas in adolescents, the mandible was the predominant site (p < 0.001). In children, mesenchymal neoplasms were the most prevalent category of lesions, whereas in both adolescents and young adults, odontogenic tumours were more common. The proportion of malignant neoplasms in males was significantly greater than that in females (p < 0.001). Conclusion This study revealed that although most biopsied orofacial lesions were more often benign, the proportion of malignant neoplasms in this population was greater than that previously reported.