One of my busy OPD days and in the scorching heat of the month of May, one lady of around 25 years of age takes the patient's seat in front of me. She has a child in her lap who is securely covered under the shroud of mother's Sari.
I immediately understand that it's an obviously disfiguring disease involving the eye or face. She unveils the child and my guess was right. There is a large cricket ball sized protruding tumour mass arising from left orbit where there should have been the eye ball.
I now know that it's a case with orbital spread of Retinoblastoma. Though the child appeared alert though painfully shy because of self awareness of the abnormality in the face due to the tumour.
On enquiring, the parents told that there has been a cat's eye reflex or whiteness in the left eye cornea for last two years approximately. They have been seeing number of eye doctors and advised surgery to remove the left eye. Due to the fear of loosing the left eye, they have been avoiding the advised surgery and this delay has allowed the tumour to grow out of the eye and now this presentation. Worried for the child's survival now they were ready for the treatment which involves chemotherapy to shrink the tumour and subsequent removal of the left eye, eyelids, and other contents of the bony orbit. This procedure will leave the child with disfigured face having a pit in place of left eye and eyelids.
I immediately understand that it's an obviously disfiguring disease involving the eye or face. She unveils the child and my guess was right. There is a large cricket ball sized protruding tumour mass arising from left orbit where there should have been the eye ball.
I now know that it's a case with orbital spread of Retinoblastoma. Though the child appeared alert though painfully shy because of self awareness of the abnormality in the face due to the tumour.
On enquiring, the parents told that there has been a cat's eye reflex or whiteness in the left eye cornea for last two years approximately. They have been seeing number of eye doctors and advised surgery to remove the left eye. Due to the fear of loosing the left eye, they have been avoiding the advised surgery and this delay has allowed the tumour to grow out of the eye and now this presentation. Worried for the child's survival now they were ready for the treatment which involves chemotherapy to shrink the tumour and subsequent removal of the left eye, eyelids, and other contents of the bony orbit. This procedure will leave the child with disfigured face having a pit in place of left eye and eyelids.
For more information on Retinoblastomaplease visit this internet article
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