World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week

This year, the World Retinoblastoma Awareness Week is celebrated between 14-20 May 2023, with initiatives that aim to raise awareness about retinoblastoma and inform about its symptoms. Although retinoblastoma is a rare cancer, with an estimated incidence of about 1 case per 15,000 to 20,000 live births worldwide, it usually affects young children and can be life-threatening if left untreated. The good news is that with early detection and treatment, the survival rate for retinoblastoma is high.

However, for some children, the standard treatments – highly invasive approaches such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery, that come with significant side effects – may not be effective, and new therapeutic options are needed. This highlights the importance of ongoing research in the ophthalmic field to develop safer and more effective treatment options.

ECaBox´s innovative approach – to create a “care box” that allows the resuscitation of the human cadaveric eye – aims to develop a device to assess the efficacy, efficiency, and safety of new regenerative therapies ex vivo. This technology has the potential to create novel knowledge and accelerate the development of innovative therapeutic options for severe eye disorders.