Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Reconstruct Human Retinoblastoma In Vitro
Published on: October 11, 2022
Lag time for retinoblastoma in the UK revisited: a retrospective analysis
Marcus Posner1, Adil Jaulim1,2, Marina Vasalaki1,3
1Retinoblastoma Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Objectives:
To explore current delays in diagnosis of retinoblastoma (Rb) and effect on outcome with comparison to a study from the 1990s.
Setting:
Primary, secondary, tertiary care: majority from South of England.
Participants:
A retrospective analysis of 93 new referrals of sporadic (non-familial) Rb to a specialist Rb unit in London, UK from January 2006 to February 2014.
Primary And Secondary Outcomes:
International Intraocular Retinoblastoma Classification, lag times including parental delay and healthcare professional delay, patients requiring enucleation and requirement of adjuvant chemotherapy postenucleation (high-risk Rb).
Results:
During the study period, 29% presented via accident and emergency (A&E). The median referral time from symptom onset to visiting primary care (PC) was 28 days and PC to ophthalmologist 3 days (range 0-181 days). The median time from local ophthalmologist to the Rb Unit was 6 days (0-33). No significant correlation was found between delay and International Classification of Retinoblastoma grade (p>0.05) or between postenucleation adjuvant chemotherapy and enucleation groups (p>0.05). Less enucleations (60%) are being performed compared with the previous study (81%) (p=0.0015).
Conclusions:
Parents are attending A&E more compared with the 1990s and this may reflect the effect of public awareness campaigns. More eyes are being salvaged despite a similar number of children requiring adjuvant chemotherapy. High-risk Rb and Group E eyes do not correlate with increased lag time in the UK. Other determinants such as tumour biology may be more relevant.
