The effect of race on the incidence of retinoblastoma.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To examine the incidence of retinoblastoma for regional variations by race. METHODS: Age-adjusted incidence rates, rate ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were determined in 109 regions from 1993 to 1997 using compiled data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. RESULTS: The rate ratio was 1.12 (range 0.35 to 4.15) between white populations in the United States and Europe/Australia, 0.98 (range 0.37 to 2.65) between Hispanic populations in Spain and the United States, and 1.44 (range 0.29 to 1.79) between Hispanic populations in Uruguay and the United States. The rate ratio between Hispanic and white populations within the United States was 0.94 (range 0.33 to 2.56). No differences were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Because retinoblastoma is a genetic disease, its incidence is similar among varied populations.