Retinoblastoma, a common eye cancer in children

Context

Retinoblastoma is the most common eye cancer occurring in young children.

The Department of Ophthalmology, at the Advanced Eye Centre has been running a Retinoblastoma Clinic here three days a week, since 1996.

It is the most common cancer in the eye (malignant tumor) in small children.
It can occur in one or both eyes and may be hereditary or sporadic.
It can be life-threatening as well as take away vision if not treated timely and is detected by seeing White Reflex (WR).

White Reflex in the eye: Pupil that looks white or yellow instead of red when light hits it.
Squinting: A crossed eye, looking either toward the nose or towards the ear.
Poor vision: Poor vision with or without WR. The eye may be red or painful also.

Ocular ultra-sonography and fundus examination are the immediate OPD procedures.
Its extent is determined by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and systemic staging investigations (bone marrow biopsy, CSF, and whole-body PET scan).

Retinoblastoma treatment requires a multi-disciplinary approach and this is managed by a team of experts, specialised in taking care of such children.
Treatment planning is done after a complete clinical examination and classification of the disease (grouping and staging).
- Treatment is individualised to each patient.
Chemotherapy can be delivered intravenously or intra-arterial and is given by the paediatric oncologist and is the most common modality of treatment.
- This has to be followed up with local therapy, which is managed by the ophthalmologist using various modalities.