<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRetinoblastomas\nnearly always occur in young children. They also appear to be noticed when a\nparent or doctor discovers that the eye of a child appears odd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
White\npupillary reflex<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the\nearly sign of retinoblastoma which is most common. Normally when you shine a\nlight in the eye, the pupil (the dark spot in the centre of the eye) appears\nred in the back of the eye because of the blood vessels. The pupil sometimes\nappears white or pink in an eye with retinoblastoma instead, which is known as\na white pupillary reflex (or leukocoria).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a\nflash photograph is taken, a parent might notice this white glare, especially\nif the pupils are different colours. This may also be noticed during a regular\neye test by the child’s doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lazy eye<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Often the\neyes do not look in the same direction, a condition which is sometimes called a\nlazy eye. (Doctors call this strabismus.) There are many possible causes of\nthis in children. Most of the time lazy eyes are caused by a mild muscle\nweakness which controls the eyes, but also by retinoblastoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other\npossible signs and symptoms<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Less common\nsigns and symptoms of retinoblastoma include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Vision problems<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Eye pain<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Redness of white eye portion <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Bleeding to the front of the eye <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 A pupil not getting smaller when exposed to\nbright light <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Each iris has a different colour (coloured\npart of the eye)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Bulging of the eye<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If cancer\nspreads beyond the eye, symptoms depend on the location of cancer. Some\npossible symptoms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Loss of appetite and weight loss<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Headache<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Vomiting<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Lumps under the skin in the neck<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some of\nthese signs and symptoms are more likely to result from anything but\nretinoblastoma. Still, if your child has any of these, check with your child\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s\ndoctor so the cause can be found and treated, if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What causes\nretinoblastoma?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Retinoblastoma\nis a cancer of the retina. The retina is the luminescent coating on the back of\nthe eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Retinal eye\ncells grow very quickly during the early stages of a baby’s development, and\nthen stop growing. But in rare cases, one or more cells keep growing and\nforming cancer called retinoblastoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Retinoblastoma\nis caused by a defective gene in about 4 out of 10 cases (40 per cent) and also\naffects both eyes (bilateral). The faulty gene may be inherited from a parent,\nor a change to the gene (mutation) may occur at an early stage of the child’s\ndevelopment in the womb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
it is not\nclear what causes the remaining 60 per cent of cases of retinoblastoma. There\nis no defective gene in these cases and only 1 eye is affected (unilateral). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A year\nroughly 50 to 60 children is diagnosed with retinoblastoma in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Genetic Mutations<\/p>\n\n\n\n