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Retinoblastoma

Causes

FAQs

Is it hereditary?

Yes in some cases it may be hereditary. Majority of cases (90%) has no family history of such disease; while a small percentage (10%) of newly diagnosed cases have other family members with retinoblastoma.

Of all the cases of retinoblastoma, in 60% of cases it does not get transmitted to the next generation, while in 40% of cases it may get transmitted in the next generation. Therefore it is important to have a genetic counseling before having a baby to determine the risk of another child getting the same disease. Also, the siblings and children of the patients with retinoblastoma should be examined periodically in their childhood to detect any possible tumor early.

Why children develop retinoblastoma?

As in most cancers, we still do not know why some children develop retinoblastoma. Retinoblastoma can however occur in families and children born in such families are definitely at risk. However, most children who develop this tumour do not have affected family members.

Usually retinoblastoma affects only one eye of the child. Rarely both eyes of the child may be affected, particularly if other family members (either parents/brother and sister) are affected.

If either parent is affected, there is almost 50% chance of future children of this parent developing retinoblastoma. Hence future children of the family where a parent and a child is affected, should be checked by an ophthalmologist immediately after birth. For this reason, your ophthalmologist may advice examination of the parents’ eyes.

The risk of future children developing retinoblastoma can be assessed in some cases by doing a "genetic analysis" of the affected child and parents’ blood. If necessary, tests can also be done on a pregnant mother to find out if the future child has the tumour.

Your geneticist will guide you regarding the risk to your future children and the need for blood tests.

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