How Is Retinoblastoma Cured?

Retinoblastoma is an uncommon form of eye cancer that primarily strikes children from birth to age five. According to Retinoblastoma International, 97 percent of children diagnosed with retinoblastoma in developed countries survive, although many have some degree of visual impairment following treatment. Removal of the eye was once the only effective treatment for the disease, but today there a number of options used to treat the tumor while retaining the eye.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of retinoblastoma include misaligned or crossed eyes or a white glow seen in the pupil of the eye in low light. In some cases, you may notice a white pupil when looking at a photograph of your child. Your child's eye may also appear red if he has retinoblastoma. According to the National Cancer Institute, one or both eyes may be affected, although the disease usually affects only one eye. Because the disease rarely spreads to other parts of the body, the cure rate is high.

Radiation Therapy

• Radiaton therapy uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer. If your doctor recommends plaque radiotherapy, a disk containing radioactive seeds will be placed near the tumor on the outside wall of the eye. This type of radiation therapy is used to prevent healthy tissue from being damaged by radiation. A computer is used to make a three-dimensional image of the eye in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Radiation beams are aimed at the tumor from various angles in an attempt to preserve healthy tissue. Stereotactic radiation therapy uses a rigid frame attached to your child's head to allow the radiologist to precisely position the beam on the tumor and target the cells in that area only.

Chemotherapy

• Chemotherapy may be recommended, particularly if your child has a large tumor. During chemotherapy, powerful drugs are used to kill rapidly growing cancer cells. Your child may use the pill form of chemotherapy or may receive intravenous chemotherapy. Chemotherapy alone may not completely remove the tumor, but may be necessary to shrink a large tumor before other types of treatment, such as cyrotherapy or thermotherapy, are used.

Cryotherapy and Thermotherapy

• Cryotherapy works by freezing cancer cells. A special probe is placed on the external part of the eye nearest the tumor. After the cells have frozen, they are allowed to thaw and the process is repeated. The freezing and thawing cycle results in the death of the cancer cells and is especially effective in treating small tumors. In thermotherapy, heat is used to kill the cells. Heat is aimed at the eye through the pupil or the outside of the eye to destroy specially targeted cells.

Laser Therapy

• Laser therapy, or laser photocoagulation, is used to destroy blood vessels that provide the tumor with nutrients and oxygen. When the blood vessels are destroyed by the laser beam, the cancer cells die. The procedure is most effective for smaller tumors.

Enucleation

• If the tumor is particularly large and other therapies have not worked, it may be necessary to remove the eye during a process called enucleation. During the surgery, the eye and part of the optic nerve are removed. An implant is placed into the opening and the eye muscles are attached to the implant, allowing realistic movement of the artificial eye. While the artificial eye may look real, your child will be blind in this eye.