Survival statistics for retinoblastoma
Survival statistics for retinoblastoma are very general estimates and must be interpreted very carefully. These statistics are based on the experience of groups of children and can’t be used to predict a particular childʼs chances of survival.
There are many different ways to measure and report cancer survival statistics. Your child’s doctor can explain the statistics for retinoblastoma and what they mean for your child.
Observed survival
Observed survival is also called overall survival. Itʼs the percentage of people with a particular cancer who are alive at a certain point in time after their diagnosis. Doctors often use the observed survival when they talk about a prognosis.
The 5-year observed survival for retinoblastoma in children 0 to 14 years of age, is 94% to 96%. This means that, on average, 94% to 96% of children diagnosed with retinoblastoma are expected to live at least 5 years after their diagnosis.
There are no specific Canadian survival statistics available for the different stages or groupings of retinoblastoma in children.
Questions about survival
Talk to your child’s doctor about their prognosis. A prognosis depends on many factors, including:
- your child’s health history
- the stage of cancer
- certain characteristics of the cancer, such as staying inside the eye or spreading outside the eye
- the treatments chosen
- how the cancer responds to treatment
Only a doctor familiar with these factors can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.
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