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Chemotherapy in retinoblastoma management
1Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Ophthalmic Paediatrics and Genetics
|June 1, 1989
Summary
Chemotherapy shows encouraging results for retinoblastoma, including preventing metastases and treating extra-ocular spread, with few complications. Long-term survival rates are positive across patient groups.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Oncology
- Medical Treatment
Background:
- Retinoblastoma is a pediatric eye cancer requiring multimodal treatment.
- Chemotherapy is an adjunct to surgery, irradiation, cryothermy, and light coagulation.
- Treatment strategies vary based on tumor size, spread, and metastasis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of chemotherapy in retinoblastoma patients.
- To assess chemotherapy's role in preventing metastases in large tumors (Reese-Ellsworth Grade 4-5).
- To analyze chemotherapy for local extra-ocular spread and bony metastases.
Main Methods:
- Chemotherapy administered to three groups: prophylactic for large tumors, treatment for extra-ocular spread, and treatment for bone metastases.
- Prophylactic chemotherapy in 22 patients with Grade 4-5 retinoblastoma.
- Chemotherapy for local extra-ocular spread (6 patients) and bone metastases (3 patients).
Main Results:
- Prophylactic chemotherapy showed no significant complications; 21 patients survived a mean of 6.0 years.
- Chemotherapy for extra-ocular spread resulted in minor complications; 5 of 6 patients survived 4-13 years.
- High-dose chemotherapy for bone metastases led to one long-term survivor (6 years); two patients died.
Conclusions:
- Chemotherapy offers encouraging results with few complications in retinoblastoma management.
- Effective in preventing metastases, treating extra-ocular spread, and improving survival in select cases.
- Potential risk of secondary primary tumors with chemotherapy warrants further investigation.