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Early diagnosis of bilateral retinoblastoma reduces death and blindness
Author(s) -
Derkinderen D. J.,
Koten J. W.,
Van Romunde L. K. J.,
Nagelkerke N. J. D.,
Tan K. E. W. P.,
Beemer F. A.,
Den Otter W.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910440107
Subject(s) - retinoblastoma , blindness , medicine , statistical analysis , pediatrics , surgery , ophthalmology , optometry , biology , biochemistry , statistics , mathematics , gene
The influence of early diagnosis on sight and survival was studied in 130 patients with bilateral retinoblastoma. Nineteen patients died of this condition. Statistical analysis predicted that 12 of these 19 early deaths could have been prevented if doctors' delay had been less than I week. Consequently, a reduction of 65% in mortality is possible. Similarly, statistical analysis also predicted that the number of patients with resulting blindness could be reduced by 40%. Central registration and monitoring of retinoblastoma families would greatly improve early diagnosis.