Global issues and opportunities for optimized retinoblastoma care.
The RB1 gene is important in all human cancers. Studies of human retinoblastoma point to a rare retinal cell with extreme dependency on RB1 for initiation but not progression to full malignancy. In developed countries, genetic testing within affected families can predict children at high risk of retinoblastoma before birth; chemotherapy with local therapy often saves eyes and vision; and mortality is 4%. In less developed countries where 92% of children with retinoblastoma are born, mortality reaches 90%. Global collaboration is building for the dramatic change in mortality that awareness, simple expertise and therapies could achieve in less developed countries.
Gallie
Brenda L
BL
Retinoblastoma Program, Hospital for Sick Children and Applied Molecular Oncology, Ontario Cancer Institute/Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. gallie@attglobal.net
Zhao
Junyang
J
Vandezande
Kirk
K
White
Abigail
A
Chan
Helen S L
HS
D018095:Germ-Line Mutation; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D019572:Retinal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000502:physiology
D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein