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Br J Ophthalmol 1997;81:559-562 doi:10.1136/bjo.81.7.559
  • Original Article
    • Clinical science

Incidence and survival of retinoblastoma in the Netherlands: a register based study 1862–1995

  1. Annette C Molla,
  2. D Joop Kuikb,
  3. Lex M Bouterb,
  4. Willem Den Otterc,
  5. P Dick Bezemerb,
  6. Jan Willem Kotenc,
  7. Saskia M Imhofa,
  8. Bertus P Kuytd,
  9. Karel E W P Tana
  1. aDepartment of Ophthalmology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands, bDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands, cDepartment of Functional Morphology, Utrecht University, Netherlands, dDepartment of Human Genetics, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  1. A C Moll, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Free University Hospital, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  • Accepted 11 March 1997

Abstract

AIM The aim of this study was to determine the (time trends in) incidence and survival of hereditary (familial and sporadic) and non-hereditary retinoblastoma for male and female patients born in the Netherlands between 1862 and 1995.

METHOD The national retinoblastoma register was updated and now consists of 955 patients. The missing dates of death were obtained from the municipal registers and the Central Bureau of Genealogy in The Hague. Mortality was compared with the Dutch vital statistics.

RESULTS From 1862 to 1995 no significant differences in incidence for retinoblastoma were found in the hereditary subgroups. Further, no significant differences between males and females were found, both overall and in the hereditary subgroups. The average incidence of retinoblastoma increased untill 1944, probably due to incompleteness of the register, and stabilised after 1945 (1 per 17 000 live births). From 1900 to 1995 the standardised mortality ratio increased for hereditary retinoblastoma patients from 2.9 to 9.0 and decreased for non-hereditary retinoblastoma patients from 1.9 to 1.0.

CONCLUSION Although survival for retinoblastoma was significantly better after 1945 than before, in comparison with the Dutch population the mortality between 1900 and 1990 increased for the hereditary and decreased for the non-hereditary retinoblastoma patients.

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