Retinoblastoma (RB)

See also: Eye Cancer, L.F. Montgomery Laboratory, Ocular Melanoma Research, Ocular Oncology and Pathology, Ocular Oncology and Pathology Clinical Fellowship

 

 

What is retinoblastoma?

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a rare type of eye cancer that mainly affects young children and occurs in one in 20,000 live births. It is a malignant tumor of the retina, the back of the eye. Retinoblastoma can be hereditary or non-hereditary. When inherited, it can affect both eyes and sometimes other organs of the body, whereas the non-hereditary type will usually only affect one eye.

Diagnosing retinoblastoma

Emory Eye Center employs the most advanced technology available for detecting blinding retinal diseases in children. Our RetCam 120 camera provides a high-resolution, 120-degree view of the retina. Standard cameras, which provide 30- to 60-degree views, miss the periphery of the retina. This technology is particularly useful for retinoblastoma, which can involve a large portion of the retina. Early detection and medical or surgical intervention can help these children keep their sight, and in the case of retinoblastoma, save their lives.

Clinical care

We offer compassionate, expert care for retinoblastoma by providing the combined expertise of the specialists in our Ocular Oncology and Pathology service, which includes a pediatric retina surgeon, pediatric oncologist, radiation oncologist, genetics counselor and a host of consultants.

Untreated, retinoblastoma can metastasize to other parts of the body, resulting in death. Using current treatment approaches, the survival rate for retinoblastoma now exceeds 90% and more vision is being saved than ever before.