Know the Glow – A Deeper Dive into Retinoblastoma
By Srustie Patel, Talia Amir, Alexandro Chu, Keny Patel, and Helly Shah
Retinoblastoma is a rare type of eye cancer and occurs most often in children under the age of 5. It accounts for approximately 2% of all cancers that occur in children between the age of 0 -14 years of age. Some commonly used procedures to diagnose retinoblastoma include: eye exams, eye ultrasounds, and magnetic resonance imaging.
The underlying cause of retinoblastoma are mutations in the retinoblastoma gene, resulting in the production of a mutated retinoblastoma protein. The protein’s ability to control cell division is negatively impacted, ultimately leading to the formation of tumors as seen in retinoblastoma.
Current treatment options for retinoblastoma include: cryosurgery, thermotherapy, laser surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and enucleation. In addition to current treatments, researchers continue to investigate new and innovative methods for treating retinoblastoma.
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