Clinical-epidemiological Characteristics of Patients diagnosed with Retinoblastoma

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma.

Methods: An observational, longitudinal and prospective study was carried out in the Pediatric Ophthalmology Service of the South Children's Hospital Dr. Antonio María Béguez Cesar, in Santiago de Cuba province, during the period from January 2000 to June 2020. The sample consisted of 26 patients (for a total of 34 eyes) with a diagnosis of retinoblastoma.

Results: Girls accounted for 61.5 % and patients younger than 12 months of age at the time of diagnosis predominated. In 42.3 %, there was a history of retinoblastoma in a family member, which meant 7.7 % of the patients, and the mother was the most frequent relative. The most frequent clinical form of presentation was isolated leukocoria (53.8 %) and cases with unilateral presentation predominated (69.3 %).

Conclusions: Increasing public awareness of retinoblastoma patients, improving access to ophthalmologic care and promoting specific health policies is crucial to maintain early and timely diagnosis.