Publication:

Look into their eyes and save their vision: role of primary health care provider in early diagnosis of retinoblastoma

Childhood cancer is not amenable to preventive or screening strategies. The most effective strategy to reduce the cancer burden and improve outcomes, is to focus on early, correct diagnosis followed by evidence-based therapy. When diagnosed early, they are responsive to appropriate therapy and increases survival rates, thereby reducing the need for intensive treatment and reduces the expenditure per child. Retinoblastoma is the most common intra ocular malignancy and is one of the most curable cancers in children. If diagnosed early and treated optimally, not only they are completely cured but a vast majority can have ocular salvage and retain vision. Lack of awareness among general population, diagnostic delays, delays in referral to proper treatment centre, compounded by socio economic factors attributes to the poor outcome in such children. We report a case of 2 years 10 months old girl child whose initial presentation of leukocoria was missed and later presented with advanced retinoblastoma with CNS metastasis.