Patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma have a greater chance than the general public of developing soft-tissue sarcomas over their lifetime, says an article recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Retinoblastoma is a rare cancer that originates in the eye. Treatment for retinoblastoma often includes radiation therapy and may also include chemotherapy and surgical removal of the eye. There has been some concern that radiation therapy increases the risk of developing cancer in tissues within the radiation field.
The National Cancer Institute recently conducted a study to evaluate potential associates between patients diagnosed with retinoblastoma and the rate of soft-tissue sarcomas following treatment.
The study included 963 patients treated and diagnosed with hereditary retinoblastoma from 1914-1984. Data on these patients regarding the rates of soft-tissues sarcomas were compared to the general population.
The researchers concluded that patients diagnosed with hereditary retinoblastoma appear to have a significantly increased risk of developing soft-tissue sarcomas. This risk was increased in these patients whether or not they received radiation therapy and remained increased outside the field of radiation therapy; this indicates a potential genetic susceptibility for soft tissue sarcomas among patients with hereditary retinoblastoma.
