Abstract
Background and Objectives: Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignancy in children. Understanding the modes of presentation of retinoblastoma is important for timely diagnosis. The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics and clinical presentation of retinoblastoma in Nikookari hospital as a referral center of northwest of Iran.
Material and Methods: A retrospective clinical study was conducted using computerized and paper records to identify all children treated for retinoblastoma at the Nikookari hospital between 1990-2005. Demographic characteristics including presenting sign, age at presentation, unilaterality or bilaterality, lag time (time period between observation of first sign and diagnosis) and treatment modality were recorded and analyzed.
Results: We analyzed the clinical records of 40 children (57 eyes). Of these, 23(57.5%) had unilateral involvement and in 17 patients (42.5%) both eyes were involved. The age of patients at presentation ranged from 5 to 62 months in unilateral group, with the mean±SD being 29.50±13.24 and from 2 to 36 months in bilateral groups, with the mean±SD being 18.52±10.22. mean lag time were 9.46±10.98 and 5.38±4.49 months in unilateral and bilateral cases respectively. Leukocoria was the most common presenting sign in 29 patients, followed by proptosis and strabismus. 22 eyes in unilateral cases and at least one eye in bilateral cases enucleated.
Conclusion: The most common presenting sign is leukocoria. Because of delay in presentation and diagnosis of retinoblastoma preservation rate of globe was very low. A screening program with dilated fundoscopic examination of infants may be a method of improving the globe-preservation rate in retinoblastoma.