From Deseret News archives:
Routine exams urged to detect rare cancer of the eye
The disease had phones ringing at area hospitals and eye clinics Thursday, the day after the story broke that Utah Jazz player Derek Fisher's infant daughter, Tatum, is being treated for the condition.
Parents were calling about their own children and asking how to screen for the cancer, said Steve Brown, spokesman for the Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah. Bonnie Midget, Primary Children's Medical Center spokesman, said the children's hospital was also taking calls.
Retinoblastoma is a cancer that occurs within the eye's retina. It's believed that the children who get the rare cancer (1 in about 20,000 children) are actually born with it, since it appears between birth and age 5.
The vast majority of cases 90 percent are called "spontaneous," because neither of the child's parents nor any family members had a history of the disease. In those cases, the cancer is usually found in one eye, while children with a familial form may develop the cancer in both eyes, a condition called bilateral retinoblastoma.
The best way to protect children and detect the disease, Lemons said, is to have routine well-child health and eye exams. Pediatricians routinely check for the disease as part of the examination they give infants and young children, although parents may not realize it when they see the doctor shine a light into the child's eyes.
They're looking for what's called a "red reflex," and it's the same principle that accounts for the red-eye effect in flash photography. In fact, it is sometimes when looking at a young child's photograph that parents first notice something might be wrong.
The tumor cells block the red reflex, and it may appear as a white area on the pupil in a photo, Lemons said. Or the photo may show a subtle difference in the two eyes, including a "lazy eye" effect where one eye turns in.
Those are more commonly caused by other conditions. The white spot may also be a congenital cataract, said Dr. Alan Crandall, professor of ophthalmology at the U. and one of Moran Eye Center's specialists. But while less serious, both cataracts and conditions causing "lazy eyes" require treatment, so finding them early is a good thing, he added.
Neither doctor commented specifically on Tatum Fisher's case but spoke instead in general terms about the eye cancer.
Comments
- UNLV coach fired after 5 seasons 12:12 p.m.
- Adams apologizes to Bills fans 12:08 p.m.
- Food summit turns down appeal 12:06 p.m.
- Ankle sprain confirmed for Paul 12:05 p.m.
- Bobcats acquire disgruntled Jackson 12:04 p.m.
- Fredette named player of the week 12:03 p.m.
- Fed will keep eye on sliding dollar 12:02 p.m.
- White House notebook 11:52 a.m.
- West Valley teenager shot in leg 11:49 a.m.
- Child ID kits handed out 11:49 a.m.
- MWC expand? Get rid of deadweight
- Apostle's wife felt comfort in attack
- Relieved Cougs prep for Falcons
- TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
- Wounded Utes limp home
- Jazz rookies had to grow up quickly
- Win in New Mexico good for Y?
- Bennett at center of GOP storm
- BYU happy to escape with victory
- Big games keep UHSAA coffers full
- TCU creams U.
233 - BYU happy to escape with victory
232 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
208 - Will state consider gay rights law?
155 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
131 - RSL heads to MLS title game
130 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - TCU stays 4th in AP; Y. 19th, U. 23rd
106 - Celtics crush Jazz
104 - 5A: Bingham rolls to title game
92
American Express says it's not going to be a closed-wallet holiday for...
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
Oh, wait: Judge Kotar-Kelley is a Clinton appointee. Nevermind.
I guess Dobbs was just doing what most 'news' people do on CNN and the other...
Yes and Bennett worked for Pres. Nixon in the 70's, so, while he did very...
BYU is the best team in the state this year and that will be obvious to...
Looks like you have a bone to pick. I would say that most blogs make me...
Matthews is playing better than Miles ever have, Offensively Matthews...
Deshawn Stevenson? Yeah he did not so much now
I beleive that the bees have won a Minor league title and the grizzlies have...
Northern Europeans are healthier than Americans and get better health care...
THEY TAKE THAT BABY AWAY FROM HER! WHAT A HORRIBLE PERSON.

You can be the first to comment on this story.