Retinoblastoma: the Saudi Arabian experience

During the period March 1983-May 1987, 74 cases of retinoblastoma were evaluated at the King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 60% of the cases were unilateral with a female preponderance of 59.4% noted for this series. Additionally, the mean age at diagnosis was 22 months, and delay of retinoblastoma diagnosis since the first symptoms were observed ranged from two days to 36 months. Fifty-seven eyes were enucleated, and in 21 of these patients, this was the sole form of therapy. The remainder of patients were treated with radiotherapy alone or combined with chemotherapy, cryotherapy/photocoagulation. Overall, two-year survival statistics of this group of Saudi patients is 80% which compares favorably to other reports in the West. Emphasis is placed on management of the retinoblastoma patients by a multi-disciplinary group, and public educational efforts are imperative.