Retinoblastoma | |
---|---|
A pathology specimen of a retinoblastoma tumor from an enucleated eye of a 3-year-old female | |
Specialty | Neuro-oncology |
Symptoms | Leukocoria seen in patient's pupil in photos Poor vision One or both eyes turning inward or outward Eye pain[1] |
Usual onset | Under 3 years old[1] |
Treatment | Surgery (including eye removal in advanced cases) Chemotherapy (after surgery in cases of metastasis) Focal therapy[1] |
Frequency | ~250–300 children diagnosed annually (United States)[1] |
Retinoblastoma (Rb) is a rare form of cancer that rapidly develops from the immature cells of a retina,[2] the light-detecting tissue of the eye.[3] It is the most common primary malignant intraocular cancer in children, especially those under 3 years old.[4][5]
Though most children in high income countries survive this cancer,[2] they may lose their vision in the affected eye(s)[6] or need to have the eye removed.[2]
Almost half of children with retinoblastoma have a hereditary genetic defect associated with it. In other cases, retinoblastoma is caused by a congenital mutation in the chromosome 13 gene 13q14 (retinoblastoma protein).[7]
mayo
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).