An observational study on retinoblastoma cases attending a medical college in Calcutta

Excision of the eyeball was done in 23 cases with diagnosis of retinoblastoma in a medical college of Calcutta. Of them, 21 cases were histologically proved to be retinoblastoma. A clinicopathological study of these 21 cases was done. Retinoblastoma patients were between 5.5 and 71 months of age, 57.1% were females, in 90.4% cases there was unilateral involvement and left eye was affected in 68.4% patients. All the patients had negative family history. Majority of the patients (85.7%) presented with leucocoria. Multiple presenting features were present in 5 patients. Aqueous humour cytology revealed malignant cells in 9.5% patients. Imprint cytology of cut end of optic nerve stump was negative for malignant cells in all the cases. Histopathological study revealed presence of Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes in 23.8%, pseudorosettes in 28.6%, anterior chamber involvement in 38%, choroid invasion in 42.8%, optic nerve involvement in 28.6%, necrosis in 28.6% and calcification in 9.5% cases. After one year of follow-up, none developed any metastasis except one patient who had developed intracranial metastasis.