Retinoblastoma – a literature review and our experience

Abstract

Retinoblastoma is the most common malignant eye tumor in children that is lethal if left untreated. The contemporary treatment modalities aim not only to save life, but also to preserve the eyes as an organwith form vision and the wich would greatly reflect on the quality of children’s lives. Historically, enucleation was the first successful therapeutic approach to reduce mortality, followed more than 100 years ago by the radiation therapy as the first attempt to save the eyes. Over the last two decades, conservative treatment of retinoblastoma has undergone an impressive development, allowing complete cure with minimal sequelae when timely diagnosed and treated. Today’s treatment protocol includes combination of selective chemotherapy, radiation therapy, laser therapy and, if necessary, systemic chemotherapy. The goal of this article is to review the up-to-date conservative management of retinoblastoma and to emphasize the importance of general practitions and pediatricians for timely diagnosis.