RB is the most common primary intraocular malignancy of childhood, and > 8,000 children are diagnosed each year worldwide.1,2 In high-resource settings with infrastructure and support, the survival of children with RB can be nearly 100%.3,4 In contrast, in low- and middle-resource countries, eye cancer specialists and support are lacking, leading to survival rates approximating 10%.3-5 In that more than 80% of the children diagnosed with pediatric cancer live in low- and middle-resource countries, many more children are dying of RB than surviving.6-11 Given this disparity, it is important to identify what can be done to save the lives of RB children in low- and middle-resource countries.
That said, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified RB as one of the most curable pediatric index cancers, stating a goal of at least 60% survival by 2030.12 This will require cooperation between ophthalmic and pediatric oncology. Governments and nongovernmental organizations will need to work towards allocating highly specific resources, education/training, and infrastructure. Thus, RB can serve as a model for other pediatric cancers by implementing effective education, training, and capacity-building initiatives that are scalable and adaptable. Many strategies are already known to be effective: multidisciplinary care teams, well-defined referral networks, resource-adapted treatment guidelines, as well as early programs to promote early detection and awareness.