Epidemiological Characteristics and Trends of Childhood Cancer in Eastern Libya: A Five-Year Retrospective Study

Abstract

Cancer is a major global public health challenge and remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases globally and ranks among the leading causes of death in developing countries. This study aimed to describe the trends and epidemiological characteristics of childhood malignancies in eastern Libya and evaluate cancer type frequency and demographic patterns at Benghazi Children's Hospital. A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using archived data from patients aged 0–16 years diagnosed with childhood cancers at Benghazi Children's Hospital between January 2018 and December 2022. Demographic data, clinical presentations, investigations, tumor types, disease stages, and patient outcomes were collected and analyzed. Among 75,015 hospital admissions, 362 (0.4%) were diagnosed with malignancy. Leukemia was the most common (37.5%), followed by brain tumors (17.4%) and lymphoma (10.4%). Male predominance was observed across all malignancies except brain tumors. The mean age was 6.05 ± 4.21 years, with 47.8% of patients under five years. Other tumors included Wilms' tumor (9.3%), neuroblastoma (6.6%), soft tissue sarcoma (4.9%), bone tumors (4.4%), retinoblastoma (4.1%), carcinoma (1.9%), and hepatoblastoma (0.5%). Common presentations included mass lesions (38.1%), pallor (34.3%), and appetite loss (26.9%). Advanced stages (III–IV) predominated, and 20.9% of patients died during treatment. Childhood cancer cases in eastern Libya increased by 38% over the five-year study period. Leukemia was the predominant malignancy, with most cases originating outside Benghazi. Late-stage presentation remains a significant challenge, highlighting the need for improved early detection and referral systems.