'Gliomes' (Tumeurs Neuroectodermiques) an Senegal

Abstract

Seventy-eight neuroectodermal tumours ('gliomas') (in the wide sense of the word) were observed in the Neurological Clinic of the Fann UHC in Dakar during eleven years (35-4% were intracranial space-occupying lesions and 41-7% were brain tumours). Among these tumours,are to be noticed: {a) malignant gliomas forty-five (7%): fort y glioblastomas (astrocytomas Kernohan grade III and IV) (21-3% brain tumours, 51% neuroectodermal tumours); five medullobastomas: (b) 'benign' gliomas, thirty-three (43%): twenty-four astrocytomas (astrocytomas Kernohan grade 1 and 2, astroblastomas): six ependymomas, three papillomas, no oligodendrogliomas, colloid cysts or pinealomas. These cases make clear the often disputed frequence of gliomas in black people (35,4%) when compared with meningiomas (thirty-five cases, 15-9%). The very high rate of malignant gliomas in this series is to be noted; usually these tumours are easily regarded as being rare in black people.