Retinoblastoma in children older than 5 years of age

Abstract

Background: Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the embryonic neural retina. About 80% of cases are diagnosed before age 4, with a median age at diagnosis of 2 years.

Objective: To determine characteristics and prognosis of retinoblastoma in children older than 5 years.

Procedures: From 1986 to 2002, medical records of 16 patients out of 453 cases referred to Hospital do Câncer AC Camargo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Results: Median age at diagnosis was 73.7 months (range 65-144) and there was an equal gender distribution. Fifteen patients presented with unilateral disease. The mean time between first symptoms and diagnosis was 9.6 months (range 0-48). Most cases were diagnosed in advanced stages and 15 eyes were enucleated. Eleven patients presented with intraocular tumor (1 Reese II and 10 Reese V) and five presented with extraocular disease (one CCG II and four CCG III). Twelve patients are still alive with a median follow-up of 92 months (range 65-199).

Conclusions: Because of its low incidence at this age, diagnosis of retinoblastoma is usually delayed due to low level of suspicion. Therefore, it is important that physicians are aware of this disease in order to perform an earlier diagnosis, and decrease treatment-related morbidity.