At Hospital 57357, we have been able to record an over-all survival rate higher than the global one in retinoblastoma. According to Hospital 57357’s clinical research department, over-all survival rate for intraocular retinoblastoma has reached 97.8%, while recorded world rate is 97%. As for the cancer type that extends outside the retina, the world rate is between 50% and 70%, while in 57357 it has reached 72.7%.
Retinal cancer in children or retinoblastoma is a rare disease affecting one in every 15,000 births. It is the most common malignant cancer of the eye in children, and it is almost exclusively found in young children. It may affect one eye, the most common type, at a rate of 60% of incidences, or affect the two eyes.
The disease is found in children between 3 months and 4 years. The most common and obvious sign of retinoblastoma is an abnormal appearance of the retina, a white reflection emanating through the pupil, the medical term for which is leukocoria, also known as cat’s eye reflex. Other signs and symptoms include a squint, deterioration of vision, a red and irritated eye with glaucoma, faltering growth or delayed development , myopia or blindness.
The family should consult an oculist when noticing any of these symptoms to thoroughly check the eye as the child’s chances of recovering well from this cancer are high when discovered at an early stage.
There are two types of retinoblastoma
- One that affect the retina only (Intraocular), and represent 88% of retinoblastoma cases
- One that extend out of the retina (Extra ocular), which represent about 12% of incidences. This type is more dangerous because it may affect the optic nerve or extend outside the eye. Late diagnosis may lead to the spread of the disease in the bones, the spinal cord or the brain.
The first type is categorized into five stages of severity. 57357 statistics indicate that 76.8% of the cases the hospital admitted since its opening belong to the fourth and the fifth stages which are the most dangerous.
As for the second type which is characterized by four stages, 57357 statistics indicate that 66.7 of the cases the hospital admitted belong to stages three and four.
The hospital’s good performance in retinoblastoma over-all survival rates is due to the adoption of the best treatment protocols and the acquisition the latest disease detection equipment (Retcam).