[Recognize the value of the individually combined therapy for children with retinoblastoma]

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignant tumor in children. With the introduction of the new therapeutic methods, the aim and the procedures of traditional therapy on retinoblastoma have been changed to the new combined therapeutic procedures, which are based on the preservation of the eyeball and visual function. Compared with the developed countries, there still exist some gaps in the acceptance of new therapeutic conceptions in China. At present, enucleation is still used commonly in China, whereas external beam radiation therapy is a main supplementary treatment. The therapeutic procedures of RB in China are relatively limited and simplistic. Therefore, the authors suggest that we should learn the experience from the developed countries, considering the status in our country, to change the traditional therapeutic idea and to establish a suitable system of individually combined therapy for patients with retinoblastoma in China.