OTHR-09 EPIDEMIOLOGY OF BRAIN TUMORS IN ZIMBABWE

Abstract OBJECTIVE Brain tumors, while rare, cause significant morbidity and mortality across all ages. This study was done to help understand the age and sex distribution of the common brain cancers diagnosed in Zimbabwe. METHODS A retrospective descriptive analysis was done of the epidemiology of brain tumor cases presenting over the past 5years at a single center in Zimbabwe. RESULTS The Total number of brain tumor cases attended to during this period was 162. Of these, 26% (42cases) were meningiomas, while 18.3% (30cases) were pituitary tumors. 12% (20cases) were posterior fossa tumors. 35 cases (22%) were unclassified brain tumors. Other brain tumors which were noted were glioma (8), craniopharyngioma (4), ependymoma (3), lymphoma (2) as well as confirmed metastatic disease (6). Meningiomas had a male to female ratio of 1:2, with a peak incidence of 40-50years (35%) whilst pituitary tumors had a 1:1 male to female ratio with 54% presenting between 30-50years. Posterior fossa tumors are most common in children and adolescents, with 53% of the cases presenting below the age of 20. They have a 1:1 ratio between males and females. CONCLUSION Most brain tumors had an equal distribution between males and females with the exception of meningioma which have a 1:2 male:female ratio. In the young and adolescents posterior fossa tumors are the commonest, with pituitary tumors and meningiomas being more common between 30-50years.