Biomarkers in retinoblastoma

Abstract:

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common intraocular malignancy of childhood caused by inactivation of the Rb genes. The prognosis of RB is better with an earlier diagnosis. Many diagnostic approaches and appropriate clinical treatments have been developed to improve clinical outcomes. However, limitations exist when utilizing current methods. Recently, many studies have identified identify new RB biomarkers which can be used in diagnosis, as prognostic indicators and may contribute to understanding the pathogenesis of RB and help determine specific treatment strategies. This review focuses on recent advances in the discovery of RB biomarkers and discusses their clinical utility and challenges from areas such as epigenetics, proteomics and radiogenomics.

Key words:retinoblastoma; biomarkers; epigenetics; proteomics; radiogenomics