Treatment Outcomes of Retinoblastoma in Children Less than 6 Months of Age

Objective: To assess the results of children who have been diagnosed with retinoblastoma in less than 6 months of age in terms of globe saving and the need for chemoreduction (CRD).

Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study from 2018 to 2021 that includes 8 eyes of 4 infants. Of the 4 patients, 01 (25%) patient was male and 03 (75%) were females. All patients had bilateral disease with no positive family history. The 4 patients were classified according to the International Classification System for Retinoblastoma. Group A disease was diagnosed in 1 (12.5%) eye, Group B in 2 (25%), Group C in 1 (12.5%), Group D in 1 (12.5%), and Group E in 3 (37.5%) eyes. A performa was made that included; patient’ name, date of birth, date of diagnosis, gender, laterality of retinoblastoma, family history, systemic chemotherapy agents used with the number of cycles and details of local therapy, complications, development of secondary malignancies and deaths. Primary outcome measures were the need for CRD and globe salvage.

Results: Three (75%) of the four infants having retinoblastoma in less than six months needed CRD to save their globes. 62.5 percent (5/8) of eyes had their globes saved, whereas three eyes (37.5 percent) were enucleated due to Group E illness. There were no CRD-related hospitalization and all patients survived.

Conclusion: Collectively the targeted modalities and reduced-dose CRD, children having retinoblastoma with less than six months have more chances of globe saving comparable to those of older age groups. The saving of globe of two-thirds of the infants required CRD. A diagnosis of Group D or E in at least one eye initially or both eyes later on, increased the risk of requiring CRD (p 0.0001 and p 0.016, respectively).