Mapping the Epidemiology of Kaposi Sarcoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Among Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review

Abstract

Children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of developing Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) compared to HIV-negative children. We compiled currently published epidemiologic data on KS and NHL among children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Among countries with available data, the median incidence of KS was 2.05/100,000 in the general pediatric population and 67.35/100,000 among HIV-infected children. The median incidence of NHL was 1.98/100,000 among the general pediatric population, while data on NHL incidence among HIV-infected children were lacking. Larger regional studies are needed to better address the dearth of epidemiologic information on pediatric KS and NHL in SSA.

Keywords: Africa; Kaposi sarcoma; epidemiology; non-Hodgkin lymphoma; pediatric.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest statement: the authors have no conflicts of interest.

© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Figures

Figure 1.

Pediatric Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) incidence (A) and prevalence (B) in sub-Saharan Africa as reported in this review. The size of the symbol indicates the relative size of the estimate, with smaller symbols representing lower relative incidence or prevalence and larger symbols representing higher relative incidence or prevalence. The KS incidence in panel A ranges from 0.03[35] to 160 per 100,000[24]. The KS prevalence in panel B ranges from 0.04[25] to 3,200 per 100,000[36].

Figure 2.

Pediatric Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) incidence (A) and prevalence (B) in sub-Saharan Africa as reported in the literature reviewed. The size of the symbol indicates the relative size of the estimate, with smaller symbols representing lower relative incidence or prevalence and larger symbols representing higher relative incidence or prevalence. The NHL incidence in panel A ranges from 0.17[43] to 6.79 per 100,000[28]. The NHL prevalence in panel B ranges from 7.1[25] to 155 per 100,000[37].