Retinoblastoma was clinically diagnosed in 38 patients in the University Hospital between 1968 to 1988. White pupil or cat's eye reflex, found in 25 patients, was the most common symptom. Four patients refused any form of treatment. Of the 27 histopathologically confirmed cases, 16 were males and 11 were females. There was no ethnic group predominance, although a male preponderance was observed among Malay patients (M:F 3:1, p less than 0.05). Treatment in cases with unilateral disease, without extra ocular extension consisted of enucleation of the involved eye, with close examination of the contralateral eye in follow-up. In cases presenting with bilateral tumour the worse eye was removed. Of 20 cases of histopathologically proven unilateral retinoblastoma treated surgically, 12 patients survived for a mean period of 4.5 years (Range: 1-19 years). The defaulter rate for this group of patients was 55%. None of the 7 cases of bilateral retinoblastoma survived beyond 5 years (Mean survival 2.5 years).
Retinoblastoma is a childhood ocular cancer. The aim of this paper is to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with retinoblastoma in a major paediatric ophthalmology center in the country. Retrospective information was collected through the retinoblastoma registry. Late presentation with advanced staging is a major problem.
The primary cause of 68 enucleations in the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, are reviewed and compared with those from Uganda and Jerusalem. Trauma 25% especially in the 20 - 29 age group was the most important cause, followed by corneal diseases 22% seen largely over the age of 50. Malignant tumours 16% consisting nearly all of retinoblastoma and a very low incidence of malignant melanoma when compared with the Caucasians. Glaucoma 12% was mainly of the narrow angle type. Males predominate nearly all age groups with an overall ratio of 2:1 and a peak of 5:1 in trauma.