Childhood cancer: retinoblastoma

When retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the retina of the eye. With 60 percent of the children involved it only occurs on one side, with 40 percent in both eyes. On a retinoblastoma cases are diagnosed in children usually at an age of about 1 to 2 years. The incidence of this disease is 1 in 18,000 people. At 5 to 10 percent of the disease is present with a family history of hereditary retinoblastoma, which means it may have affected other family members.

Typical is a reflex behind the pupil and inflamed eyes.
When the children to fall ill in the investigation of a yellowish-white of the eye behind the pupil reflex. In addition, the children suffer from impaired vision and an inflamed and sore eyes. These abnormalities have already cast suspicion on the presence of retinoblastoma. The diagnosis can be confirmed by further investigations: blood tests, as well as X-ray and ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (possibly computed tomography) of the skull. In the course of the disease can also lead to the formation of daughter tumors (metastases), including the bone marrow and liver. This daughter tumors will cause other symptoms. In addition, the tumor may in the course of its growth to penetrate into the brain.

Is affected only one eye, this is usually removed.
Is affected only one eye, the eyeball is removed completely. In some cases, but instead a cold-light therapy, or meaningful. It is destroyed by exposure to the tumor of a directed beam of cold or tumor tissue. Affects both eyes, which are tumors in both eyes, usually vary in size. In these cases, usually removes the eye with the larger tumor, performed in the other eye a cold or light therapy. In a tumor growth that exceeds the limits of the eyeball, for example, up into the brain in, be subjected to a radiation therapy. Have you already metastases seed off, is carrying out an appropriate chemotherapy. Moreover, it is very important to perform with the families of affected children have a genetic counseling, because the retinoblastoma occurs partly because of familial inheritance.

The chances of recovery are good.
With the described therapy is about 85 percent of affected children achieve long-term cure. This cure rate is lower, however, if there are distant metastases. In addition, it comes with 5 percent of these patients after treatment of this tumor in only one eye, then on the recurrence of a tumor, this time in the other eye. Moreover, it is possible - especially in the presence of a tumor in both eyes in each case - that develop in about 20 percent of cases, other cancers such as an osteosarcoma or a pinealoma, a brain tumor. If a retinoblastoma is not treated, the disease rapidly leads to death.