PURPOSE
To study the clinical spectrum and treatment outcome of retinoblastoma in Indian children.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
This retrospective study analyzed 488 eyes of 355 retinoblastoma patients treated at a tertiary care ophthalmic hospital in southern India during a 14-year period.
RESULTS
Retinoblastoma involved one eye in 177 (50%) and both eyes in 178 (50%) patients. Mean age at presentation was 23.98 ± 23.37 months (unilateral, 29.4 ± 24.3 months; bilateral, 18.6 ± 21.07 months). The most common presenting symptom was leukocoria (72%), followed by poor vision (12.5%). Sixty-eight percent of the eyes presented with Reese-Ellsworth stage V
disease. Overall, 60 (21.6%) of 278 eyes could be saved.
CONCLUSIONS
Indian children with retinoblastoma present a mean of 6 months later than their Western counterparts, most often with leukocoria and Reese-Ellsworth stage V disease. Seventy percent of eyes in which salvage was attempted were saved.
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2005;42:75-81.
AUTHORS
The authors are from the Vitreoretinal Service, Sankara Nethralaya, Vision Research Foundation, Chennai, India.
Originally submitted November 7, 2003.
Accepted for publication March 24, 2004.
Address reprint requests to Mahesh P. Shanmugam, MBBS, DO, FRCSEd, PhD, Vision Research Foundation, 18 College Road, Chennai 600 006, India.
The authors have no industry relationships to disclose.
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