Retinoblastoma Program

The Retinoblastoma Program provides multidisciplinary care and innovative treatment for children from around the world. We provide comprehensive treatment for children with retinoblastoma; education for patients, families and the medical community; and cutting-edge basic and clinical research.

As the only center of its kind in the Southwestern United States, patients are provided the highest quality of care for their condition. Our team includes specialists in pediatric oncology, ophthalmology, radiation therapy, cell and gene therapy, ocular pathology, cancer genetics and counseling, psychosocial support and a wealth of other services for patients and their families.

The Retinoblastoma Center of Houston is a consortium of physicians and scientists from some of the premier medical institutions in Houston: Texas Children’s Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine, the Children’s Cancer Hospital at The University of Texas and MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Houston Methodist. Visit the Retinoblastoma Center of Houston's Website at rbhouston.org for more information about how Texas Children's and other institutions from the Texas Medical Center are teaming up to treat childhood retinoblastoma.

Image

Treatment and Evaluation

Our multidisciplinary approach results in an individualized treatment plan for each patient. We perform genetic testing on every tumor tissue and peripheral blood in all patients who undergo enucleation, and we offer appropriate genetic counseling once we have the testing results. Depending on the kind and stage of retinoblastoma, the Retinoblastoma Program offers treatment using ophthalmic surgery, cryosurgery, photocoagulation, proton beam radiation therapy, intrathecal chemotherapy and systemic chemotherapy with or without autologous bone marrow transplant for patients whose disease has spread beyond the eye to other parts of the body. The goal is to use the least invasive treatment necessary to save the child’s life, eye and vision.