Risks in late diagnosis of retinoblastoma and their prevention
Gerinec, A.
Bratislavske Lekarske Listy 99(5): 255-257
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-9248 PMID: 9673040 Document Number: 497010
The study of the therapy of 57 patients with retinoblastoma and their 30-year follow-up a very significant problem of the delayed assessment of the diagnosis in this disease. The age of patients at the point of assessment of the diagnosis was delayed in average for 3 months after the appearance of first symptoms being especially leucocoria and strabismus, in hereditary Rb it yielded 10 months and in non-hereditary 36 months. The study emphasizes the risks of achieving lower therapeutic success rates and higher lethality in patients in very advanced stages of the disease. An improvement in parental care is assumed to represent a significant preventive measure against the late assessment of the diagnosis. The authors suggest an improvement in erudition of regional paediatrists together with fast provision of clinical care with the use of all diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities provided by modern medicine. (Fig. 4, Ref. 6.)