MALIGNANT-TUMORS IN OMANI CHILDREN

In an effort to understand better the epidemology of childhood cancer in Oman, a retrospective review of hospital-based biopsy-prove maligna nt tumours was undertaken. A total of 313 cases of malignant diseases in children between the ages of 0 and 12 years were diagnosed in Oman during the 5-year period from January 1988 to December 1992, inclusive . Leukaemias were the most commonly occurring malignancies (32.3%), fo llowed by lymphomas (29%) and brain tumours (11.2%). The male:female r atio was 1.3:1. The commonest presenting age group was 2 years, the ma jority of which were leukaemias and lymphomas. Differences and similar ities between Oman data and those from other countries are discussed.