Indian Journal of Ophthalmology

ARTICLES
Year
: 1976  |  Volume : 24  |  Issue : 4  |  Page : 35--36

Regressed retinoblastoma


SP Dhir, IS Jain, SK Das 
 Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

Correspondence Address:
S P Dhir
Department of Ophthalmology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh
India




How to cite this article:
Dhir S P, Jain I S, Das S K. Regressed retinoblastoma.Indian J Ophthalmol 1976;24:35-36


How to cite this URL:
Dhir S P, Jain I S, Das S K. Regressed retinoblastoma. Indian J Ophthalmol [serial online] 1976 [cited 2024 Mar 29 ];24:35-36
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/text.asp?1976/24/4/35/31283


Full Text

Spontaneous regression in a retinoblastoma is well documented in literature. This is, how�ever, a rare phenomenon. Usually regression of retinoblastoma leads to a phthisical eye. Das[1] found 3 examples of spontaneously regressed retinoblastomas in 140 eyes removed for retino�blastoma. Regressed retinoblastoma with reten�tion of visual acuity is indeed rare. We report a case of spontaneously regressed retinobla�stoma in an adult with retention of visual acu�ity and genetic transmission.

 Case reports



A. N., 40, male presented with his son 4L years old with bilateral retinoblastomas [Figure 1]. In one eye of the child the retinoblastoma was quiie advanced and enucleation was performed and the diagnosis confirmed histopathologically. Optic nerve was markedly infiltera�ted with tumour cells. The other eye had a pear shaped tumour in the upper nasal quadrant 2-3 disc diametre in size. On enquiry elder daughter of the case died with bilateral white pupillary reflexes. The other two child�ren aged 4 months and 2 years were not available for examination. His father had one eye phthisical.

The case had defective vision in right eye since child�hood and there has been no improvement or further deterioration of vision in right eye ever since. On exa�mination the visual acuity was 6/36 in RE and 6/6 in LE. There was no improvement of vision in RE with correction of refractive error. RE was divergent by 10� and took up fixation on covering the left eye. In both eyes no abnormality was detected in the anterior seg�ment. In the right fundus ophthalmoscopically a horizontally oval yellowish white mass of the size of 3x2 disc diametre was seen in the macular area [Figure 2]. Retinal blood vessels were seen only in the peripheral parts of the mass. Few choroidal vessels could be seen through the atrophic patch at' the peri�phery. The borders of the patch were well delineated. The central part of the area was bulging into the vitre�ous cavity with chalky white deposits more dense in the centre and scattered in the peripheral part. The eye did not reveal any signs of present or past inflammation.

 Comments



The diagnosis of regressed retinoblastoma was made on the following grounds

1. Presence of calcified tumour in the fundus with characteristic clinical picture.

2. Presence of bilateral retinoblastoma in two sibs. History of phthisical eye in father.

Das[1] on histopathological examination of 140 eyes enucleated with retinoblastoma found evidence of regression in three instances. Isola�ted cases of phthisical eyes showing regressed retinoblastoma have been reported by Satyaen�dran[5] Mehra and Benerjee[4], Jain and Singh[3] and Dayal et al[2]. However, there is no case re�port in the country of a regressed retinobla�stoma with retention of useful vision.

 Summary



A rare case of spontaneously regressed ret�inoblastoma in an adult with retention of vis�ion and genetic transmission of retinoblastoma is reported.

References

1Das. S. P., 1964, J. All India Ophthal. Soc., 12, 129.
2Dayal, Y., Angra, S. K., Gahlot, D. K., Sharma, U. and Sood, N.N., 1970, Orient Arch. Ophthal., 8, 158.
3Jain, I. S. and Singh, K., 1968, J. All India Oph�thal. Soc., 16, 76.
4Mehra, K. S. and Banerjee, C., 1965, Brit. J. Ophthal., 49, 381.
5Satyendran, O. M., Appalanarasiah, K. and Phatak, B. K., 1965 Orient. Arch. Ophthal. 3, 276.