Even though retinoblastoma is a life threatening disease, it is rarely a fatal one if treated appropriately. With the correct treatment in the hands of an experienced ophthalmologist, the retinoblastoma patient has a very good chance of living a long, full, and happy life.

It is very important to have a proper follow up with the treating ophthalmologist for the eye tumor as well as for detection and treatment of possible other tumors. The frequency of follow up depends upon the type of tumor and the type of treatment given. Also in children with only one eye left, extra care must be taken to avoid injuries to the good eye.

If a child has been diagnosed to have retinoblastoma in one eye, can he also develop the same disease in the other eye?

Yes. 25% of these tumors can affect both the eyes. The other eye must also be evaluated thoroughly for the presence of any tumor. Also in a few cases, the other eye may develop tumor a bit later. Therefore on the follow up visits also, the other eye should be examined.

Some of these children, especially those in which the tumor involves both the eyes, are at a risk for developing other tumors like osteogenic sarcoma (a cancerous tumor that affects the bone). The radiation therapy for the tumor (external beam radiotherapy) increases this risk of other tumors. Your ophthalmologist will discuss these issues with you.

What are the chances that the next child to be born would have the same disease?

These chances may range from as low as 1 in 15,000 to as high as 45%, and depend upon many factors and like whether there is a family history of such tumor, whether the tumor is involving both eyes etc. A genetic counseling should be sought when planning for another baby. Similarly, when a person with treated retinoblastoma plans to have a child, he or she must also consult the doctor for genetic counseling.