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Concept

Retinoblastoma

A glowing orange eye with radiating lines and a dark center, set against a dark background, symbolizes retinoblastoma, an aggressive cancer of the developing retina.

An aggressive cancer of the developing retina, almost always diagnosed before age five. It arises from mutations in the RB1 tumour-suppressor gene. Until the late twentieth century, treatment in advanced cases meant removing the affected eye to keep the cancer from spreading along the optic nerve. Modern chemotherapy and laser protocols often save the eye, but enucleation remains standard when the tumour is large or bilateral.

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