Second non-ocular tumours in survivors of bilateral retinoblastoma. A 30-year follow-up

Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Parents of Patients With Retinoblastoma

PURPOSE

To assess depression, anxiety, and stress in parents of patients with retinoblastoma and to evaluate the impact of unifocal vs multifocal retinoblastoma.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, self-reported psychological assessment of parents of patients with retinoblastoma at a tertiary care ocular oncology center was performed. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), The Parental Stress Index 4-Short Form, and a retinoblastoma Knowledge Assessment questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics for outcomes and comparative analyses were made.

RESULTS

There were 138 parents of children with retinoblastoma (unifocal: n = 77, multifocal: n = 61). Overall, parents displayed mild, moderate, or severe depression (BDI) (n = 37, 26.7%); mild, moderate, or severe anxiety (BAI) (n = 49, 35.8%), and stress scores within normal limits (n = 138, 100%). A comparison (unifocal vs multifocal) revealed parents of children with multifocal retinoblastoma with severe depression (1.4% vs 10.2%, P < .02), and no differences in anxiety or stress. Factors associated with moderate or severe parental depression included previous history of depression (30.0% vs 3.9%, P < .001) and factors for moderate or severe anxiety included previous history of depression (33.3% vs 8.6%, P < .001), parent highest level of education at high school or less vs college or beyond (29.2% vs 10.9%, P = .031), and parental report of "child developmental delay" (31.5% vs 11.3%, P = .019).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of parents displayed minimal depression (73.3%), anxiety (64.2%), or stress (100%). However, severe depression is more often found in those whose children have multifocal disease, and previous history of depression and less education can impact psychological function. NOTE: Publication of this article is sponsored by the American Ophthalmological Society.

Second primary malignancies in retinoblastoma patients treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy: the first 10 years

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Survivors of retinoblastoma carry a lifetime risk of secondary malignancies. It is well established that external beam radiation increases this risk; however, the risk with ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC) remains unknown. We report on 10 years of experience with OAC and the rate of second primary malignancy (SPM) development.

METHODS

This is a single-centre retrospective review approved by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Institutional Review Board of all patients who received OAC over a 10-year period, from May 2006 to November 2016. The second tumour incidence and survival in patients with germline disease (bilateral and unilateral with family history or confirmed germline mutation) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Patients who received external beam radiotherapy were excluded from analyses.

RESULTS

Two hundred and thirty-three patients with heritable retinoblastoma who received OAC were analysed. Nineteen patients were excluded for having received external beam radiation. The Kaplan-Meier estimate of the likelihood for SPM development was 2.7% at 5 years (95% CI 0 to 25). All of the SPMs were pineoblastomas and all patients had bilateral disease in this cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

In our 10-year experience, we have found that SPM development in patients with germline retinoblastoma treated with OAC alone is comparable to previously published rates. In the first 10 years, OAC did not increase the known incidence of SPMs. This cohort will continue to be followed to establish the rate of development with extended follow-up.

[Childhood cancer: progress but prognosis still very unequal. Example of Retinoblastoma and high-risk Neuroblastoma]

Children suffering with cancer have a higher probability of cure than adult. Since the 1950's, high cure rates have been achieved following remarkable progress in the overall care of these children. Not only children are more often "cured" than during the past century but they are probably "better cured" with the hope of experiencing less late effects. Nevertheless, there are still large disparities related to tumor diagnosis and regional area on the globe. If retinoblastoma is now cured in about 100% of the cases in industrialized countries, a different figure is seen unfortunately in economically disadvantaged countries. Not only is access to primary care lower, but also ophthalmologic techniques and available cancer treatments are less effective. Nowadays, such high cure rates observed for children with retinoblastoma are not the rule for all children with cancer. For example, despite considerable progress with new innovative treatments, the cure rate of children with metastatic neuroblastoma does not exceed 40%.

Supraselective intra-arterial chemotherapy: evaluation of treatment-related complications in advanced retinoblastoma

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to report the complication profile and safety evaluation of supraselective intra-arterial melphalan chemotherapy in children undergoing treatment with advanced retinoblastoma.

METHODS

Twelve eyes of 10 children with advanced retinoblastoma (Reese-Ellsworth Group Vb or International Classification Group D) were treated with supraselective intra-ophthalmic artery infusion of melphalan. Eleven eyes of nine children had previously failed traditional management with systemic chemotherapy and laser ablation and underwent intra-ophthalmic artery infusion of melphalan as an alternative to enucleation. Serial ophthalmic examinations, retinal photography, and ultrasonographic imaging were used to evaluate treatment regime.

RESULTS

Ophthalmic artery cannulation was successfully performed in 12 eyes of 10 patients (total 16 times). Striking regression of tumor, subretinal and vitreous seeds were seen early in each case. No severe systemic side effects occurred. Grade III neutropenia was seen in one patient. No transfusions were required. Three patients developed a vitreous hemorrhage obscuring tumor visualization. One patient developed periocular edema associated with inferior rectus muscle inflammation per orbital MRI. This same patient had scattered intraretinal hemorrhages and peripapillary cotton wool spots consistent with a Purtscher's-like retinopathy that resolved spontaneously. At the 6-month follow-up examination, nine eyes had no evidence of tumor progression, whereas three eyes were enucleated for tumor progression. In each enucleated case, viable tumor was identified on histopathologic examination.

CONCLUSIONS

Ophthalmic intra-arterial infusion with melphalan is an excellent globe-conserving treatment option in advanced retinoblastoma cases with minimal systemic side effects. Local toxicities include microemboli to the retina and choroid (1/12, 8%), vitreous hemorrhage (3/12, 25%), and myositis (1/12, 8%). Enucleation remained a definitive treatment for tumor progression in 3 of 12 eyes in this small case series with limited follow-up. Further studies are necessary to establish the role of supraselective intra-arterial melphalan chemotherapy for children with retinoblastoma.

Superselective ophthalmic artery chemotherapy as primary treatment for retinoblastoma (chemosurgery)

PURPOSE

To report on our 3-year experience with the use of superselective ophthalmic artery infusion of chemotherapy as initial, primary treatment for intraocular retinoblastoma.

DESIGN

Prospective, institutional review board-approved clinical trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-eight eyes of 23 newly diagnosed retinoblastoma patients (Reese-Ellsworth [RE] group V, 25 eyes; RE IV, 1 eye; RE III, 1 eye; RE II, 1 eye), ages 3-88 months (mean, 22; median, 11) followed for 3-37 months (mean, 15; median, 14).

METHODS

Cannulation of 1 or both ophthalmic arteries in young children with retinoblastoma was performed via the femoral artery under general anesthesia on an outpatient basis and chemotherapy (melphalan [n = 12], melphalan plus topotecan [n = 7], melphalan plus topotecan and carboplatin [n = 3], or melphalan plus carboplatin [n = 1]) infused.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Patient survival, eye survival, systemic toxicity, complete blood counts, ophthalmic examination, retinal photography, and electroretinograms.

RESULTS

We treated 23 newly diagnosed retinoblastoma patients initially with 75 separate intra-arterial chemotherapy infusions (range, 1-6 treatments; mean, 3.2) over a 3-year period. All children survived. Only 1 of the 28 eyes came to enucleation (for progressive disease). No eye was enucleated for ocular complications of the procedure and the only adverse ophthalmic findings were occasional transient lid edema, forehead hyperemia, and loss of nasal lashes. Kaplan-Meier enucleation free was 100% at 12 months and 89% at 2 years (95% confidence interval, 43%-98%). There were no deaths, strokes, or transfusions of any blood products; no effect on red cell count; 9 cycles of grade 3 and 1 cycle of grade 4 neutropenia; and no hospitalizations, episodes of fever/neutropenia, or complications at the site of femoral artery puncture.

CONCLUSIONS

The ophthalmic artery(s) of children can safely be repeatedly canulated in very young children and high concentrations (but low doses) of chemotherapy infused on an outpatient basis. When used as initial therapy superselective chemotherapy delivered through the ophthalmic artery prevented enucleation, primary radiation or the use of systemic chemotherapy in 27 of 28 eyes.

Cancer mortality in long-term survivors of retinoblastoma

This study examined long-term cause-specific mortality among 998 Dutch retinoblastoma survivors, diagnosed from 1862 to 2005, according to follow-up time, treatment and heredity. After a median follow-up of 30.8 years, only cause-specific mortality for second malignancies among hereditary retinoblastoma survivors was statistically significantly increased with 12.8-fold. Risk of death from second malignancies among non-hereditary survivors was not increased. Mortality rates of second malignancy among hereditary patients were non-significantly elevated with 1.6-fold for treated with radiotherapy, compared to those treated otherwise. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for second malignancy among hereditary patients increased during the first three decades after retinoblastoma diagnosis. Whereas these risks decreased after three decades, the absolute excess risk (AER) increased significantly, up to 23.2 excess cases per 1000 patients/year after five decades of follow-up. Fifty years after retinoblastoma diagnosis the cumulative mortality from any second malignancy was 17.3% for hereditary patients. Very long-term follow-up of retinoblastoma patients revealed an emerging excess risk of mortality in hereditary retinoblastoma survivors. This implies that lifelong follow-up is needed, whereas at the same time, patients and their physicians must be alerted to the increased second malignancy risks.

The transglabellar/subcranial approach for surgical excision of periocular second tumors in retinoblastoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate the use of transglabellar/subcranial approach for surgical resection of periocular second non-ocular tumors in retinoblastoma patients.

METHODS

Seven retinoblastoma patients with periocular second tumor involving anterior skull base underwent surgical resection by transglabellar/subcranial approach in a single center. The medical records of these patients were retrospectively evaluated.

RESULTS

The most common presenting symptom in retinoblastoma patients with periocular second tumor was difficulty in maintaining the prosthesis in three patients (43%), followed by epistaxis in one (14%), palpable orbital mass in one (14%), persistent periocular swelling in one (14%), and visual loss in one (14%) patient. Periocular second tumors were leiomyosarcoma in three (43%) patients, osteosarcoma in three (43%), and sphenoid wing meningioma in one (14%) patient. Surgical resection by the transglabellar/subcranial approach was the only treatment in one (14%) patient with sphenoid wing meningioma and was combined with chemotherapy in three (43%) patients, and with both external beam radiotherapy and chemotherapy in three (43%) patients. Surgical margins were negative in three (43%) patients and microscopically positive in four (57%) patients. Complications were minor, including cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) leak in one (14%) patient and CSF leak and subgaleal hematoma in one (14%) patient. After 31 months mean follow-up, three (43%) patients were alive and four patients (57%) were dead.

CONCLUSIONS

Retinoblastoma patients with periocular second tumors have a poor prognosis. The transglabellar/subcranial approach can be used for surgical resection of periocular second tumor involving skull base with low morbidity.

Conservative treatments of intraocular retinoblastoma

OBJECTIVE

To describe the efficacy of conservative management of retinoblastoma by an association of conservative ocular therapies and chemothermotherapy.

DESIGN

Phase II prospective nonrandomized trial.

PARTICIPANTS

Eighty-three children were included (115 eyes).

METHODS

Conservative ocular therapies and chemothermotherapy (intravenous carboplatin followed by transpupillary thermotherapy to the tumor) after chemoreduction by 2 cycles of carboplatin and etoposide.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Use of external beam therapy and ocular tumor control.

RESULTS

One hundred fifteen of the 147 affected eyes were eligible for conservative management. Nineteen children had unilateral lesions (22.8%), and 64 (77.1%) had bilateral lesions. Sixty-six children received neoadjuvant chemotherapy before ocular therapy, which consisted of one or a combination of several techniques: chemothermotherapy (65 children [86 eyes]) with a mean of 3 cycles per child, thermotherapy alone (22 children [24 eyes]), cryoapplication (49 children [58 eyes]), and iodine 125 brachytherapy (26 children [29 eyes]). Tumor control was achieved for 97 eyes (84%). At the end of the study, external beam radiotherapy (EBR) was necessary for a total of 9 children (11%) and 13 eyes (12%). Enucleation was necessary for a total of 23 eyes (20%), because of complications in 5 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with 2 cycles of carboplatin and etoposide followed by ocular therapy and chemothermotherapy achieves satisfactory tumor control and permits a low need for EBR.

Risk of soft tissue sarcomas by individual subtype in survivors of hereditary retinoblastoma

BACKGROUND

Survivors of hereditary retinoblastoma have an increased risk for second malignancies, especially soft tissue sarcomas. However, the risks of individual histologic subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas have not been evaluated.

METHODS

We estimated the risk for six subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas (fibrosarcoma, liposarcoma, histiocytoma, leiomyosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and others) in a cohort of 963 one-year survivors of hereditary retinoblastoma among patients diagnosed at two US institutions from 1914 through 1984. We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for specific subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas by comparison with population data from the Connecticut Tumor Registry or from National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. We also calculated the cumulative risk for all soft tissue sarcomas combined.

RESULTS

We observed 69 soft tissue sarcomas in 68 patients with hereditary retinoblastoma. Risks were elevated for soft tissue sarcomas overall (SIR = 184, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 143 to 233) and for individual subtypes. Leiomyosarcoma was the most frequent subtype (SIR = 390, 95% CI = 247 to 585), with 78% of leiomyosarcomas diagnosed 30 or more years after the retinoblastoma diagnosis (SIR = 435, 95% CI = 258 to 687). Among patients treated with radiotherapy for retinoblastoma, we found statistically significantly increased risks of soft tissue sarcomas in the field of radiation. Irradiated patients also had increased risks of soft tissue sarcomas, especially leiomyosarcomas, outside the field of radiation, and risks of soft tissue sarcomas were increased in nonirradiated patients as well, indicating a genetic predisposition to soft tissue sarcomas independent of radiation. The cumulative risk for any soft tissue sarcoma 50 years after radiotherapy for retinoblastoma was 13.1% (95% CI = 9.7% to 17.0%).

CONCLUSION

Long-term follow-up of a cohort of survivors of hereditary retinoblastoma revealed a statistically significant excess of leiomyosarcoma and other soft tissue sarcomas that persists decades after the retinoblastoma diagnosis. Retinoblastoma survivors should undergo regular medical surveillance for sarcomas in their adult years.

Combined local treatment and chemotherapy in the management of bilateral retinoblastomas in Hungary

This retrospective study supports that brachytherapy combined with cytostatic therapy may effectively contribute to tumor control. The second eye of 13 patients with bilateral retinoblastoma was treated with plaque brachytherapy after the enucleation of the first eye. Eleven patients received systemic cytostatic therapy. The mean follow up was 60 (+/-42 SD) months. Twelve patients are alive and free of tumor, 8 of them with acceptable visual acuity. After cytostatic therapy, late nephropathy was observed in 2 patients. In conclusion, brachytherapy combined with cytostatic therapy will be an option in the management of bilateral retinoblastoma after the enucleation of the first eye.

Risk of new cancers after radiotherapy in long-term survivors of retinoblastoma: an extended follow-up

PURPOSE

Many children diagnosed with retinoblastoma (Rb) survive into adulthood and are prone to subsequent cancers, particularly hereditary patients, who have germline Rb-1 mutations. We have extended the follow-up of a large cohort of Rb patients for 7 more years to provide new information on the risk of additional cancers after radiotherapy in long-term survivors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analyzed the risk of new cancers through 2000 in 1,601 Rb survivors, diagnosed from 1914 to 1984, at two US medical centers. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was calculated as the ratio of the observed number of cancers after hereditary and nonhereditary Rb to the expected number from the Connecticut Tumor Registry. The cumulative incidence of a new cancer after hereditary and nonhereditary Rb and radiotherapy was calculated with adjustment for competing risk of death.

RESULTS

Subsequent cancer risk in 963 hereditary patients (SIR, 19; 95% CI, 16 to 21) exceeded the risk in 638 nonhereditary Rb patients (SIR, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.7 to 2.0). Radiation further increased the risk of another cancer in hereditary patients by 3.1-fold (95% CI, 2.0 to 5.3). Hereditary patients continued to be at significantly increased risk for sarcomas, melanoma, and cancers of the brain and nasal cavities. The cumulative incidence for developing a new cancer at 50 years after diagnosis of Rb was 36% (95% CI, 31% to 41%) for hereditary and 5.7% (95% CI, 2.4% to 11%) for nonhereditary patients.

CONCLUSION

Hereditary Rb predisposes to a variety of new cancers over time, with radiotherapy further enhancing the risk of tumors arising in the radiation field.

Outcome of second malignancies after retinoblastoma: a retrospective analysis of 25 patients treated at the Institut Curie

Retinoblastoma is usually curable in developed countries. The morbidity and mortality of patients with hereditary retinoblastoma is still threatened by the occurrence of secondary tumours. Between 1971 and 1988, 427 patients with retinoblastoma were treated in the ophthalmologic, paediatric and radiotherapy departments of the Institut Curie. In this study, we report the clinical and therapeutic features and the outcome of 25 patients treated for a second malignant neoplasm, diagnosed between 1997 and 1999 at the Institut Curie. The median time interval between the diagnosis of retinoblastoma and SMN was 11.2 years (range 3.8-20.6 years). Histopathological diagnoses included: 12 osteosarcomas, 12 soft tissue sarcomas and, 1 malignant oligodendroglioma. The second malignant neoplasm was located inside the radiation field in 21 cases and outside in 4. Twenty three patients received pre-operative chemotherapy. Surgery was performed in 16 patients. Post-operative chemotherapy was administered in 12 patients and external beam radiotherapy was used in 2 patients. Response to treatment was evaluable in 24 patients: complete remissions were observed in 14/24, partial remissions in 2/24 and progressive disease in 8/24. Nineteen patients died. Six are still alive, with 4 in complete remission (median follow-up 8.8 years; range 5.8-13.9 years). Despite aggressive therapy, the prognosis of patients with second malignant neoplasm occurring after retinoblastoma is very poor. It is important to provide information to retinoblastoma patients regarding the risk of a second tumour as this may facilitate an early tumour detection.

Nonocular Second Primary Tumors After Retinoblastoma

The objective of this study was to assess the role of various clinical and treatment factors involved in the long-term incidence of nonocular second primary tumors following retinoblastoma. The study was based on 111 patients treated between 1963 and 1977 according to the same radiotherapy protocol (electron beam radiotherapy) alone or in combination with triethylene melamine (TEM). Various statistical methods were used to obtain the actuarial survival curve, the cumulative incidence of second primary tumors, and comparisons of patient groups and subgroups. The 5-, 10-, 20-, and 30-year survival rates were 75%, 70%, 63%, and 55% with a follow-up of 23 to 35 years. The study reports the various parameters concerning 111 children and 17 second primary tumors: sex, age at treatment, histology of the retinoblastoma and second primary tumors, site of second tumors (anatomic and compared with irradiation field), radiation dose, time to onset, and chemotherapy with or without TEM. The results are discussed and compared with the data reported in the literature. Electron beam radiotherapy at a dose of 45 Gy does not eliminate the risk of nonocular second primary tumors. TEM also does not modify survival or the overall incidence of second primary tumors, but significantly increases the risk of second primary tumors outside the irradiation field.

[Radiation-induced retinopathy]

Radiation retinopathy is a retinal microangiopathy, observed after irradiation of the eye. It can rarely lead to neovascular glaucoma and enucleation due to pain. It is due to a progressive retinal capillary then vascular occlusion. Total irradiation dose, dose fraction, and surface of the irradiated retina seem to be strong predictive factors for radiation retinopathy. Patients who underwent an irradiation near the eye (skull base tumors, nasal and paranasal tumors, or brain tumors) should be followed by periodic ophthalmologic examination to detect and treat when necessary the non perfusion areas.

Chemothermotherapy in the management of retinoblastoma

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the results of chemothermotherapy for the treatment of retinoblastoma.

DESIGN

Non-comparative interventional case series.

PATIENTS

Fifty-one children (65 eyes and 103 tumors) were treated with chemothermotherapy in a single institution from January 1995 to May 1998.

METHODS

Chemothermotherapy consists of a combination of transpupillary thermotherapy delivered shortly after intravenous (IV) injection of carboplatin (560 mg/m(2)). Each tumor is treated separately with a diode laser using a microscope. Laser intensity, spot size, and duration are adapted to the size of each tumor and to the clinical response. After 8 days, thermotherapy alone is repeated. This cycle is performed from one to six times, every 28 days. The treatment data and outcome are analyzed separately.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Assessment of local tumor control.

RESULTS

One hundred three tumors were treated in 65 eyes of 51 children. Age at diagnosis was 0 to 60 months (median, 7 months). Median tumor diameter at the time of treatment was 3.5 mm (range, 1.5-12 mm). Laser modalities were as follows: median intensity, 450 mW (range, 150-1000 mW); median spot size, 1.2 mm (range, 0.3-2.0 mm); and median number of cycles required to obtain tumor control, three. Tumor regression was obtained for 99 tumors (96.1%) after a median follow-up of 30 months (17-61 months). Seven tumors relapsed after initial control (6.8%). Salvage treatment (external beam radiation, iodine plaques, or enucleation) was necessary for a total of 11 tumors (10.7%). The only risk factor for relapse was the initial diameter of the lesion greater than 3.5 mm, whereas the other tumor characteristics or treatment variables were not significantly correlated with relapse. Ninety-seven percent of treated eyes were able to be preserved, and 92% of cases were treated without external beam radiation.

CONCLUSIONS

Chemothermotherapy is an effective technique to treat small- to medium-sized retinoblastomas in children, avoiding external beam irradiation.

Retinoblastoma in transgenic mice: models of hereditary retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular malignancy ill childhood, has served as a paradigm for the study of genetic mechanisms of oncogenesis. The retinoblastoma susceptibility gene RB1 was the first tumor suppressor gene to be cloned, and genetic and molecular biologic studies of this tumor have greatly expanded the understanding of the mechanics of tumorigenesis. Human retinoblastoma has essentially no naturally occuring animal counterpart. The development of transgenic murine models of retinoblastoma have created an experimental tool for manipulation of a tumor gene system in vivo. These models have also enabled studies of new therapeutic modalities. This review outlines the development of the transgenic murine models of retinoblastoma, together with the genetic mechanisms of retinoblastoma origin. Current therapeutic innovations developed by means of the transgenic models are described.

Role of chemotherapy alone or in combination with hyperthermia in the primary treatment of intraocular retinoblastoma: preliminary results

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of the etoposide-carboplatin combination in extraocular retinoblastoma is well known. This drug combination is therefore used in intraocular retinoblastoma, as primary reduction chemotherapy, before local treatment. The use of carboplatin in combination with diode laser hyperthermia as local treatment (thermochemotherapy) has been recently described as a conservative approach avoiding external beam radiotherapy in posterior pole tumours.

METHODS

All patients were reviewed, who were treated for retinoblastoma at the Institut Curie between June 1994 and October 1995, in whom treatment included either reduction chemotherapy or thermochemotherapy or both modalities successively. 23 patients presenting with unilateral (three) or bilateral (20) intraocular retinoblastoma received neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of two courses of etoposide 150 mg/m2/day and carboplatin 200 mg/m2/day for 3 days. 15 patients (17 eyes), eight of whom had already received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, were treated by thermochemotherapy.

RESULTS

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy: overall, seven eyes in seven patients could be treated conservatively, avoiding external beam irradiation, with a median follow up of 14 months. Thermochemotherapy: external beam irradiation was avoided for 14 of the 17 eyes treated.

CONCLUSION

Integration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and combined treatment with carboplatin and diode laser, into the therapeutic armamentarium for retinoblastoma allows use of more aggressive treatments such as enucleation and external beam radiation.

Second nonocular tumors in survivors of heritable retinoblastoma and prior radiation therapy

PURPOSE

The principal objectives of this study were to estimate the incidence of second tumors among children treated for heritable retinoblastoma during a 50-year period and to investigate the relationship between these tumors and previous radiation therapy.

METHODS

The records of all retinoblastoma patients examined at the Mayo Clinic from 1941 through 1990 were retrospectively reviewed. The therapeutic modality used to manage the tumor, the occurrence of any second malignancy, and current follow-up on all patients were evaluated.

RESULTS

Eighty-two (46%) of 180 children with retinoblastoma had bilateral tumors (76 patients) or unilateral disease and a positive family history (six patients) and were followed for an average of 21.8 years (range, 1 month to 53 years). The Kaplan-Meier estimates of second nonocular tumors among the 82 patients with heritable retinoblastoma were 12% at 10 years, 16% at 25 years, and 30% at 40 years. Although 14 of the 15 patients who developed second malignancies had received radiation therapy, only four of the malignancies occurred within the field of irradiation.

CONCLUSIONS

The relatively low incidence of second tumors among long-term survivors of heritable retinoblastoma in this series of patients occurred predominantly outside the field of irradiation. The variable incidence of second nonocular malignancies in previous reports may reflect variations in radiation technique and dosage.

Second primary tumours in hereditary- and nonhereditary retinoblastoma patients treated with megavoltage external beam irradiation

The purpose of this retrospective study is to investigate the influence of 45 Gy megavoltage external beam radiotherapy on the occurrence of second primary tumours in hereditary- and non-hereditary retinoblastoma patients. Eighty-seven hereditary and 19 non-hereditary patients were irradiated for retinoblastoma. The follow-up of the hereditary patients ranged from 4-23 years (mean 12.4 years), of the non-hereditary patients from 6-23 years (mean 12 years). In the hereditary group 4 patients developed a second primary tumour (2 rhabdomyosarcoma, 1 osteosarcoma, 1 malignant histiocytoma), and 5 patients developed a pineoblastoma. Three second primary tumours were situated inside the radiation field. The latency period ranged from 1.5 to 18 years (mean 4.8 years). None of the non-hereditary patients developed a second primary tumour. The actuarially calculated probability of being free from second primary tumours was 96.9% at 10 years and 89.4% at 20 years (pineoblastoma excluded). The survival was 91.2% at 10 years and 84.2% at 20 years (pineoblastoma excluded). From this study it is suggested that external beam irradiation has a potentiating effect in patients, with the genetic predispopsition for retinoblastoma and who are more susceptible to second primary malignancies.

Second primary tumors in patients with retinoblastoma. A review of the literature

PURPOSE

The aim of this survey was to review the different studies regarding the occurrence of second primary tumours (SPT) among survivors of retinoblastoma.

METHODS

Ovid (Medline, Current contents life, Psychlit, Embase) was searched for the years 1966-1995 using the mesh headings: 'retinoblastoma', 'second primary neoplasms', and 'multiple primary neoplasms'. The inclusion criteria were: the study should involve 50 patients or more and should not be limited to one specific SPT. A checklist with criteria regarding the study design and the results was applied to each study.

RESULTS

Eleven studies were identified which met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-five different types of SPT (Ntotal = 243) were reported. Most of them were osteosarcomas (37.0%), followed by melanomas (7.4%), soft-tissue sarcomas (6.9%), brain tumors (4.5%), fibrosarcomas (3.3%), chondrosarcomas (3.3%), and sarcomas (3.3%). Less frequently reported were leukemias (2:4%), sebaceous cell carcinomas (1.6%), and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (1.6%). Pineoblastoma, which in fact is a trilateral retinoblastoma and not an SPT, was found in 2.4%. Despite the differences, all 11 studies showed a higher incidence of SPT compared to the general population. Only 4 studies were judged to be free from selection bias, reporting a cumulative incidence of SPT of 8.4% 18 years after diagnosis, 15.7% at the age of 20 years, 19% at the age of 35 years, and a relative risk of 15.4 for SPT, respectively.

CONCLUSION

SPT is a serious problem for the survivors of hereditary retinoblastoma and its importance should be recognized in (genetic) counseling of patients.

Second primary tumors in patients with hereditary retinoblastoma: a register-based follow-up study, 1945-1994

The aim of this register-based follow-up study was to evaluate the long-term cumulative incidence of second primary tumors (SPT) among survivors of hereditary retinoblastoma, with special interest for the incidence of pineoblastoma in retinoblastoma patients born after 1970. The Dutch Retinoblastoma Register was completed and updated: in the period 1945-1994, 639 retinoblastoma patients were registered. The vital status of each patient was obtained from the municipal registries and the Central Office of Genealogy. SPT were traced and histopathologically confirmed. Survival curves and cumulative incidence of SPT were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The survival of patients with hereditary retinoblastoma was significantly shorter than that of patients with non-hereditary retinoblastoma. The cumulative incidence of SPT in hereditary patients was 3.7 and 17.7% at the ages of 10 and 35 years, respectively. Long-term follow-up revealed a high proportion of melanomas (7 melanomas out of 28 SPT). In the sub-cohort of the hereditary-retinoblastoma patient group born after 1970, the cumulative incidence of pineoblastomas at the age of 5 years was 9.3%. Our results suggest that patients with hereditary retinoblastoma should have careful follow-up, and procedures for diagnosing SPT and pineoblastomas at an early and potentially treatable stage should be developed.