[Twenty year observation of a severe case of bilateral retinoblastoma]

To present a case of a girl with bilateral retinoblastoma, who, despite of the continuing development of the disease, survived for twenty years.

Neoplasmatic lesions, diagnosed in the child's left eye at age of 2, were so advanced that it was necessary to enucleate the eyeball. Relatively late, i.e. after 7 years, the tumour appeared in the second eye. This eye was treated with xenon-arc photocoagulation and 60Co irradiation.

In spite of many years of treatment the lesions were progressing. Enucleation of the second eye was much delayed due to the lack of consent of the parents. 15 months after enucleation a recurrence appeared in the eye socket. Surgical treatment was supplemented by irradiation of the eye socket and by chemotherapy. After 20 years of intensive treatment the patient died because of generalized neoplasmatic disease.

This case confirms the necessity of prolonged, careful observation of patients with retinoblastoma.