With over 70 new cases of ‘retinoblastoma’, a kind of eye cancer, among children being reported every year, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) doctors have expressed concern over the increasing number of the cases. According to the pediatric oncologists at AIIMS, most of Retinoblastoma cases are usually seen among children below five years. However, 75-90 per cent of childhood cancers can be treated if it is diagnosed early. However, due to lack of awareness among the parents in India, they bring their children only after observing something major in the eyes of their pupil, said the doctor.
Doctors said Retinoblastoma is a rare type of cancerous eye tumor that is most often found in children under the age of six. It is caused by the loss or mutation of a tumor suppressor gene. Usually patient suffers from symptoms like cat-eye refection, white gout, cloudiness with puffy eyes, blur vision and squint for over long period, they added.
During the course of chemotherapy treatment in childhood cancer, there may be some late effects on patient’s other body parts. Explaining about these effects, Dr Rachna Seth from the department of paediatrics at AIIMS, said: “Parents are getting their children for their treatment as they are more aware about the cancer now as compared from the past. And we become more concern for the children after the complete diagnose of childhood cancer as after few years, there can be late effects of the chemotherapy on various body organs such as the heart, bone, growth and other hormonal changes.”
late effect of the chemotherapy on various body organs is the second phase of the child which is called lifelong survivorship so the child should be kept under proper surveillance of doctors and parents, Dr Seth added.
Many of the times, doctors have to even replace the eyes of the patient by artificial eyes.