title: A population-based study of retinoblastoma incidence and survival in Argentine children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An increased incidence of retinoblastoma in some developing countries has been reported but no conclusive data are available from population-based studies at national level.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report the incidence and survival of retinoblastoma in Argentina from the National Pediatric Cancer Registry (ROHA) and the influence of socio-economical indicators on outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cases reported to the ROHA (2000-2009) were analyzed. Incidence rates were calculated using National Vital Statistics and survival was estimated. The extended human development index (EHDI) was used as a socio-economical indicator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With 438 patients reported, an incidence of 5.0 cases per million children 0-14 years old (95% CI 3.5-6.4) was calculated. Median age at diagnosis was significantly higher for children from provinces with lower EHDI; (24 vs. 35 months for unilateral, (P = 0.003) and 9 versus 11.5 months for bilateral retinoblastoma (P = 0.027). The 3-year probability of survival was 0.87 and 0.94 for unilateral and bilateral retinoblastoma, respectively. Residents in provinces with higher EHDI had a better 3-year survival (0.93 vs. 0.77 for lower EHDI, P < 0.0001). Probability of survival was higher for patients treated at tertiary level institutions (P = 0.0015). The combination of low EHDI residence province with no treatment at a tertiary institution was associated with the worst survival outcome. For both, unilateral and bilateral disease, children who died were in average diagnosed at older age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of retinoblastoma in Argentina is comparable to that of developed countries. Retinoblastoma is diagnosed later and survival is lower in the less developed areas of the country.
authors.affiliation: Registro Onco-pediatrico Hospitalario Argentino (ROHA, Hospital-based Pediatric Cancer Registry from Argentina), Instituto Nacional del Cáncer, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Florencia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Banafsheh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sinaki
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fandiño
authors.forename: Verónica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dussel
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orellana
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chantada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D019572:Retinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015996:Survival Rate
keywords: cancer; children; retinoblastoma; survival