A study of orofacial tumors in Nigerian children.

Purpose: This study evaluated the type and distribution of tumors in the orofacial tissues of black African children.
Patients and Methods: The hospital records of all patients aged 15 years or younger, who presented at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (a tertiary referral center) with a histologically confirmed orofacial tumor over a 13-year period were analyzed.
Results: One-fifth of all orofacial tumors during the study period occurred in the pediatric age-group. The male-female ratio was 1.4 to 1 and 11- to 15-year-olds were most frequently affected. Benign tumors (59.8%) were more prevalent than malignant tumors (40.2%). Overall, 18.4% of the tumors were of odontogenic origin, 42.5% were benign nonodontogenic tumors, and 39.1% were malignant nonodontogenic tumors. The anterior part of the mandible was frequently involved by ameloblastoma, which was the most common odontogenic tumor (6.3%). Most of the benign nonodontogenic tumors were of mesenchymal origin (46%), and most were located in soft tissues (59.5%). Burkitt's lymphoma (22.4%) was the most common malignant nonodontogenic tumor.
Conclusion: The observed differences in tumor type and distribution in this study compared with previous studies may be attributable to genetic and geographic differences in the populations studied.