Intracranial Tumour Pattern in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

From our present total of 186 patients with space-taking masses, a definite shift is shown towards the metastatic neoplasms which now form the largest proportion (27-96%) in our series of tumours of the brain and its hard and soft coverings at the U CH in Ibadan, Nigeria. In the cases of metastases, nearly half are secondary deposits from chorion carcinoma of the uterus. Following the metastatic group, and in decreasing frequency, are the neurogenous neoplasms (23*12%), the meningiomas (18*82%), the pituitary gland neoplasms (17*20%), the tuberculomas (7*53%) and the miscellaneous mass lesions (5*37%). One-third of the tumours were found in patients within the first two decades of life and only 7*53% occurred after the fifth decade. Metastatic neoplasms are the most frequent (38*96%) of the tumours in the third and fourth decades and the neurogenous neoplasms are commonest (42*42%) in the first two decades. However, the meningioma still remains the single most prominent neoplasm of all brain tumour groups at Ibadan, be they primary or secondary.