Retinoblastoma in children, experience at a pediatric hospital

Retrospective analysis of clinical charts of 41 children (59 eyes) diagnosed with retinoblastoma and treated by a multidisciplinary team at Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna in Santiago-Chile, between 1999 and 2007. The information included gender, laterality, diagnosis age, presenting signs, tumor spread, treatment modality and survival rate. Results: A total of 23 cases (56%) were unilateral and 18 cases (44%) were bilateral. The mean age at diagnosis was 21.6 months (range 2 - 84) and 27 children (65.9%) were male. The most common presenting signs were leucokoria (51.2%), strabismus (24.4%) and proptosis (4.9%). Enucleation was performed in 48 eyes (81.3%), being the only required treatment in 17 children (41.5%). The remaining 24 patients received systemic and/or local therapy with chemotherapy, focal therapy and external beam radiation. 5 children died during the follow - up study period, due to extraocular extension to the orbit, central nervous system and bone marrow. Conclusion: In spite of high enucleation rate as initial therapy for retinoblastoma, the survival rate with this current treatment protocol is similar to those from developed countries