Atwine, R.; Laffita, D.; Birungi, A.; Kiconco, R.; Waddell, K. Clinical and Histopathologic Predictors of Survival Among Children With Retinoblastoma From Two Tertiary Health Facilities in Uganda. Cureus 2023, doi:10.7759/cureus.50605.
Atwine, R.; Laffita, D.; Birungi, A.; Kiconco, R.; Waddell, K. Clinical and Histopathologic Predictors of Survival Among Children With Retinoblastoma From Two Tertiary Health Facilities in Uganda. Cureus 2023, doi:10.7759/cureus.50605.
Atwine, R.; Laffita, D.; Birungi, A.; Kiconco, R.; Waddell, K. Clinical and Histopathologic Predictors of Survival Among Children With Retinoblastoma From Two Tertiary Health Facilities in Uganda. Cureus 2023, doi:10.7759/cureus.50605.
Atwine, R.; Laffita, D.; Birungi, A.; Kiconco, R.; Waddell, K. Clinical and Histopathologic Predictors of Survival Among Children With Retinoblastoma From Two Tertiary Health Facilities in Uganda. Cureus 2023, doi:10.7759/cureus.50605.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumour that develops from the immature cells of the retina. It is the most frequent type of paediatric intraocular cancer and is curable. Clinical and histological findings after enucleation of the affected eye dictate not only the patient's secondary care but also their prognosis. We assessed the clinical and histopathologic predictors of survival among children with retinoblastoma from two tertiary health facilities in Uganda. METHODS: This retrospective research utilized archived formalin fixed & paraffin embedded blocks of eye specimens enucleated between 2014 to 2016 at Mbarara University, pathology department and Ruharo Eye Centre. The specimens were then processed and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The confirmation of retinoblastoma was made to include histologic stage and features of the tumor. Biographic data of the patients and the clinical features such as leukocoria, proptosis, phthisis, staphyloma, buphthalmos were retrieved from the records.RESULTS: Males (55.1%) dominated the study population (N=78). The median age was 31 months. The commonest clinical sign was leukocoria (69.2%) and the most abundant histopathological stage was stage 1 (41%). Optic nerve invasion 39.5%, choroidal invasion 29.5%, scleral invasion 7.7% and orbital extension 16.7% were seen. Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes were seen in 24.6%. Necrosis was a prominent feature (71.2%). The two-year survival was estimated to be 62%. Leukocoria (RR 1.1), female gender (RR 1.4), intralaminar optic nerve invasion (RR 7.6) and a lack of orbital extension (RR- 7) were significant predictors of survival.CONCLUSION: Leukocoria and proptosis are noticeable clinical signs of retinoblastoma. Most patients present while in stage one although stage four presentation is also common. Leukocoria, optic nerve invasion, orbital extension, and gender are significant factors predictive of survival in patients with retinoblastoma.
Keywords
clinical features; histopathologic features; retinoblastoma; survival; children
Subject
Medicine and Pharmacology, Pathology and Pathobiology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
