Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma
Symptoms
One or both eyes may be affected.
They pupil may appear white or have white spots. A white glow in the eye is often seen in photographs taken with a flash. Instead of the typical "red eye" from the flash, the pupil may appear white or distorted.
Other symptoms can include:
Crossed eyes
Double vision
Eyes that do not align
Eye pain and redness
Poor vision
Differing iris colors in each eye
If the cancer has spread, bone pain and other symptoms may occur.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Retinoblastoma is caused by a mutation in a gene controlling cell division, causing cells to grow out of control and become cancerous.
In a little over half of the cases, this mutation develops in a child whose family has never had eye cancer.
Other times the mutation is present in several family members. If the mutation runs in the family, there is a 50% chance that an affected person's children will also have the mutation. They will therefore have a high risk of developing retinoblastoma themselves.
The cancer generally affects children under the age of 6. It is most commonly diagnosed in children aged 1 - 2 years.
Treatment
Treatment options depend on the size and location of the tumor.
•Small tumors may be treated by laser surgery or cryotherapy.
•Radiation is used for both local tumor and for larger tumors.
•Chemotherapy may be needed if the tumor has spread beyond the eye.
The eye may need to be removed (a procedure called enucleation) if the tumor does not respond to other treatments. In some cases, it may be the first treatment.
Retinoblastoma is curable when diagnosed early and treated appropriately; however, the prognosis is dismal when the basic elements of diagnosis and treatment are lacking. In developing countries, poor education, lower socioeconomic conditions, and inefficient health care systems result in delayed diagnosis and suboptimal care. Furthermore, the complexity of multidisciplinary care required is seldom
Symptoms
One or both eyes may be affected.
They pupil may appear white or have white spots. A white glow in the eye is often seen in photographs taken with a flash. Instead of the typical "red eye" from the flash, the pupil may appear white or distorted.
Other symptoms can include:
Crossed eyes
Double vision
Eyes that do not align
Eye pain and redness
Poor vision
Differing iris colors in each eye
If the cancer has spread, bone pain and other symptoms may occur.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Retinoblastoma is caused by a mutation in a gene controlling cell division, causing cells to grow out of control and become cancerous.
In a little over half of the cases, this mutation develops in a child whose family has never had eye cancer.
Other times the mutation is present in several family members. If the mutation runs in the family, there is a 50% chance that an affected person's children will also have the mutation. They will therefore have a high risk of developing retinoblastoma themselves.
The cancer generally affects children under the age of 6. It is most commonly diagnosed in children aged 1 - 2 years.
Treatment
Treatment options depend on the size and location of the tumor.
•Small tumors may be treated by laser surgery or cryotherapy.
•Radiation is used for both local tumor and for larger tumors.
•Chemotherapy may be needed if the tumor has spread beyond the eye.
The eye may need to be removed (a procedure called enucleation) if the tumor does not respond to other treatments. In some cases, it may be the first treatment.
Retinoblastoma is curable when diagnosed early and treated appropriately; however, the prognosis is dismal when the basic elements of diagnosis and treatment are lacking. In developing countries, poor education, lower socioeconomic conditions, and inefficient health care systems result in delayed diagnosis and suboptimal care. Furthermore, the complexity of multidisciplinary care required is seldom