Retinoblastoma (reh-tin-oh-blast-oma) is
a childhood cancer arising from immature retinal cells in
one or both eyes and can strike from the time a child is in
the womb up to 5 years of age. This cancer is curable
if caught early enough. However, 87% of the children
stricken with this disease worldwide die, mostly in developing
countries. In developed countries, 97% of those who
do live have moderate to severe visual impairment.
Retinoblastoma is a relatively uncommon tumor of childhood
that accounts for about 3% of the cancers in children under
the age of 15. The tumors originate in the retina, the
light sensitive layer of the eye, which enables the eye to
see. When the tumors are present in one eye, it is referred
to as unilateral retinoblastoma, and when it occurs in both
eyes it is referred to as bilateral retinoblastoma.
60% of the cases involve only one eye (unilateral); the rest
affect both eyes (bilateral). 90% of retinoblastoma
patients have no family history of the disease and only 10%
of newly diagnosed patients have other family members with
retinoblastoma.
