EPID-17: MALIGNANT ASTROCYTOMA IN MOROCCO: AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL APPROACH

The present study was conducted to describe the epidemiological characteristics of malignant astrocytoma in Morocco. This is a descriptive retrospective analysis of cases diagnosed and treated for astrocytoma between 2000 and 2004 at Al Azhar Oncology Center in Rabat. During the period of study, there were 27 cases diagnosed with astrocytoma at Al Azhar Oncology Center, accounting for 15.3% of all brain tumors reported during this period. Astrocytomas were more common among males than females, with a male-female ratio of 1.25. The average age at diagnosis was 48.3 ± 14.6 years (range 10-80 years). The risk of developing the disease is associated with age, 73.1% of cases were diagnosed in patients aged 40-59 years. Among the cases for whom the outcome was known, 11 (40.7%) died during the study period, accounting for 50% of all brain tumor deaths. The most recent estimates of astrocytoma incidence and mortality in the world reveal sharp differences between developed and developing countries possibly related to missed opportunities for early diagnosis and incomplete reporting of astrocytoma in Africa.