Retinoblastoma

Description: Retinoblastoma is a serious cancer for the eye. Sometimes the doctors have to take out your entire eye to get it out depending on how serious the condition is. Retinoblastoma usually occurs in early childhood and effects about 1 child in 20,000. The tumor develops in the part of the eye that detects light and color. Since Rb is found in all cell types, studying the tumor progression for this will give insight to the progression of many types of cancer, not just Retinoblastoma!

Chromosome location: There are both hereditary and nonhereditary forms of this disease. In the Hereditary form a gene called Rb is lost in chromosome 13. This is what starts the tumor. Rb is found in all the cells of the body, so if it is missing it is a major problem. Rb acts as a block from cell division, so when it is missing the cell wil replicate itself over and over and over causing the tumor.

Treatment: To treat it, docters sometimes have to take it out of your eye. You need the treatment to survive. If the disease is serious enough sometimes docters will have to take out your eye and give you a fake one!

Life Expectancy: If Retinoblastoma is left untreated it is fatal, but with early diagnosis and new treatments the survival rate is over 90%.

Support Organizations:
 * Cincinnati Childrens Special Support Group, Life With Cancer Support Community, Cancer Treatment Support Group, Vision Disorders and Blindness Support Group, and DC Pediatric and Palliatric Care Support Group. These are only some of the organizations that support retinoblastoma!**

Disorders of the Eyes