Epidemiology of Retinoblastoma

It is widely acknowledged that cancers are disorders of cell growth and behavior and that its cause has to be defined at cellular levels. However, studies have shown that the cause of cancer can be deduced from a study of its epidemiology. Sir Percival Pott is credited with linking chemicals to causing cancer when he observed astutely that Chimney sweeps, because of their chronic exposure to sooth, were prone to scrotal cancers. Subsequently, the Danish Chimney sweeps guild ruled that its members must have their bath daily and this prevented the problem.1 Prior to this, John Hill had linked nasal polyps to “immoderate use of snuff”. Epidemiology has also contributed in linking cervical cancer to human papilloma viruses and radiation to different cancers1. It is also important for the purposes of health planning and allocation of resources to know the distribution of any particular disease.