Presenting signs of retinoblastoma in Congolese patients.

OBJECTIVE

To report the relative frequency of the signs of presentation in Congolese children with retinoblastoma.

METHODS

A retrospective study was undertaken of all (29) patients with retinoblastoma examined between January 1995 and December 2000.

RESULTS

There were 19 (66%) boys and 10 (34%) girls. For all cases, mean age at diagnosis was 2.94 years +/- 1.6 (range, four months to six years). For bilateral cases, it was 1.12 year +/- 1.4 (range, two months to three years) whereas for unilateral cases it was 3.23 years +/- 1.5 (range, four months to six years) (P = 0.016). More than seven distinct signs were identified. Leukocoria was the most common presenting sign in 49% of diagnosed cases followed by proptosis (28%). Other signs were strabismus, red eye, anterior scleral staphyloma, hyphema and buphthalmia.

CONCLUSION

Strabismus seemed to be uncommon whereas proptosis is important in our small series when compared to signs reported in the developed world.