RB 较为罕见。RB 的发病率为 1/12,000~30,000。[6]Tamboli A, Podgor MJ, Horm JW. The incidence of retinoblastoma in the United States: 1974 through 1985. Arch Ophthalmol. 1990;108:128-132.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2288550?tool=bestpractice.com在美国,每年新增 250~350 例患儿。美国 RB 发病率相对较低,每年每百万的 15 岁以下儿童中有 3.58 例。英国每年约有 50~60 例 RB 新发病例,在 15 岁以下儿童中,RB 的发生率仅占恶性肿瘤的 3%。[7]Childhood Eye Cancer Trust. Information about retinoblastoma for health professionals. https://chect.org.uk/ (last accessed 11 August 2017).https://chect.org.uk/resources-2/hv/
多年来据报道 RB 的中位诊断年龄为 18 个月,双眼为 12 个月,单眼为 24 个月。[8]Augsburger JJ, Oehlschlager U, Manzitti JE. Multinational clinical and pathologic registry of retinoblastoma. Retinoblastoma International Collaborative Study report 2. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 1995;233:469-475.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8537020?tool=bestpractice.com然而,最近欧洲学者开始质疑这些流行病学结论的依据,并报道单眼患者的诊断年龄可能与双眼患者相似。[9]Mastrangelo D, De Francesco S, Di Leonardo A, et al. Does the evidence matter in medicine? The retinoblastoma paradigm. Int J Cancer. 2007;121:2501-2505.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.22944/fullhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17657745?tool=bestpractice.com