Clinical presentation of intraocular retinoblastoma; 5-year hospital-based registry in Egypt

PurposeTo study the presenting signs of Retinoblastoma in Egypt at Egypt’s main pediatric oncology referral center.MethodsThis is a prospective descriptive study (hospital-based registry) conducted at Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt between July 2007 and December 2012.ResultsOut of 262 patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma, 244 were suffering from intra-ocular disease at presentation. One hundred thirty-nine (57%) patients presented with unilateral disease, while 105 (43%) suffered bilateral disease. The mean age at presentation was 20.6 ± 17 months, averaging 18.87 ± 11.76 months for bilateral and 25.72 ± 18.78 months for unilateral disease. The most common clinical presentation was leukocoria in 180 (73.8%) patients, strabismus in 32 (13.1%) patients and decreased visual acuity in 12 (4.9%) patients. Group D and E disease represented 62% of all affected eyes. Patients with advanced disease (Group C–E) had longer duration of symptoms.ConclusionIn Egypt, retinoblastoma patients present more frequently with advanced disease. There is an ever-increasing need to develop a national team dedicated to studying disease significance and formulating a national awareness program.