Abstract B029: Childhood soft tissue sarcomas in sub-Saharan Africa: Clinical spectrum, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes from a Nigerian centre
Adedayo Joseph, Adeseye M. Akinsete, Ayodeji O. Ojetunde, Philip EjeikwuAbstract
Background:
Pediatric soft tissue sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of malignancies with significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This study profiles the disease spectrum, management and survival patterns of patients at a high-volume urban cancer centre in Lagos, Nigeria.
Methods:
A retrospective descriptive study of pediatric soft tissue sarcoma patients seen at the Medserve–LUTH Cancer Centre, Lagos, Nigeria, between September 2019 and December 2025 was conducted. The Cox proportional hazards model and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to predict survival.
Results:
Sixty-two patients were included, with a median age of 12 years (range: 1–19) and 61.3% male. Most were diagnosed after prolonged symptoms (mean: 386 days) and at advanced stages (56.5% ≥ stage III). The head and neck (46.8%) and lower limbs (11.3%) were the most common tumor sites, with rhabdomyosarcoma accounting for 71% of cases. Surgery was performed in 69.4% of patients, radiotherapy (RT) in 54.8% (n = 34; IMRT 38.2% v. 3DCRT 35.3%), and chemotherapy in 67.7% (n = 42) - neoadjuvant (24, 57.1%), adjuvant (22, 52.4%), and concurrent (2, 4.8%). RT Treatment completion was achieved in 88.2% of patients. The 1-year survival rate was 75%, and the mean overall survival (OS) was 55.5 ± 5.8 months. OS differed significantly by age (p=0.010), with higher survival in patients 0–9 years (70.2 months) compared to 10–19 years (38.2 months). On multivariable Cox analysis, age 10–19 years was associated with increased mortality risk (HR 10.90, 95% CI: 1.90–62.58; p = 0.007).
Conclusion:
In this sub-Saharan African paediatric cohort, soft tissue sarcomas were predominantly rhabdomyosarcoma, treated with structured multimodal therapy, and achieved moderate but suboptimal survival in the face of prolonged diagnostic intervals and a high burden of advanced disease. There was a significant survival disadvantage in adolescents compared with younger children, reinforcing the global adolescents and young adults sarcoma gap and demonstrating its relevance even in a resource-limited context. The development of regionally relevant, resource-adapted treatment frameworks for childhood soft tissue sarcomas is needed.
Citation Format:
Adedayo Joseph, Adeseye M. Akinsete, Ayodeji O. Ojetunde, Philip Ejeikwu. Childhood soft tissue sarcomas in sub-Saharan Africa: Clinical spectrum, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes from a Nigerian centre [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Bridging Discovery and Clinical Impact in Pediatric Cancer; 2026 Sep 22-25; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(18_Suppl_1):Abstract nr B029.