Lymphoma in sub-Saharan Africa: Report from an oncology centre in Nigeria.

Abstract

e19038 Background: Lymphomas account for more than half of all hematologic cancers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and were responsible for 10% of cancer-related deaths in the region in 2020. Although the understanding of lymphoma in SSA is expanding, knowledge about its epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment options, treatment pathways, and prognosis remains incomplete. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the clinico-epidemiological pattern of lymphoma at an emerging oncology centre of excellence in SSA. Methods: This is a retrospective study examining lymphoma presentation at the NSIA – LUTH Cancer Centre, Lagos Nigeria. Data was extracted from electronic records of lymphoma patients who were seen at the centre between May 2019 and December 2024. The data were analyzed and represented using descriptive statistics, processed with SPSS software, version 23. Results: Among the 127 lymphoma patients who were seen at the centre during the study period, the mean age was 46.1 ± 15.8 years. The majority were aged 51-60 years (31, 24.4%), 31-40 years (26, 20.5%), and 41-50 years (24, 18.9%). More than half of the patients (68, 53.5%) were male, and Hodgkin lymphoma (71, 55.9%) was the most diagnosed lymphoma. Metastases from lymphoma were most common to the brain (76, 59.8%), liver (75, 59.1%), bone (74, 58.3%), and lung (71, 55.9%). Travel distances varied, with the average distance to the treatment centre being 111.6 km and the median at 20.6 km. The study categorized travel distance into quartiles: short (0-16km), medium (>16km to 28.5 km), long (>28.5 km to 302 km), and very long (>302 km to 1387 km). Short-distance accounts for 39.4%, medium-distance accounts for 23.6%, long-distance accounts for 20.5% and very long-distance accounts for 16.5%. Conclusions: Most patients in this study traveled medium to a very long distance to the centre. This could be responsible for the advanced disease stage and level of metastases in this study. This study will add to the existing literature and fill critical gaps by addressing the interplay of unique regional factors, advancing diagnostic and therapeutic practices, and guiding evidence-based policy-making. Moreover, this study has the potential to not only improve patient outcomes within SSA but also inform global strategies for managing lymphoma in resource-limited settings.