Our Approach & Expertise

	Our Team From Left: Anabela C. Rodrigues, medical secretary; Maria Hinton, nurse practitioner; Alexis L. Leitenberger, nurse; David H Abramson, Chief, Ophthalmic Oncology Service; (seated on table) Jocabed Villa, ophthalmic technician, and Harriet Rosengarten, medical secretary; Freddi Goodman, medical secretary; Matthew Hawk; Diane M. Murphy, ophthalmic tech: Nursing; Juana Abreu, medical secretary

With more than 12,000 examinations for retinoblastoma, our ophthalmic oncologist has unmatched experience in the diagnosis of retinoblastoma and of conditions that look like retinoblastoma.

Our multidisciplinary approach allows children to receive all their pediatric oncology care, ophthalmic oncology, and radiation oncology treatments under general anesthesia at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Once a diagnosis has been made, our patients receive treatment in a suite of examination and treatment rooms dedicated exclusively to retinoblastoma.

Innovative Chemotherapy Treatments

For children with retinoblastoma in their eyes only, we use a mild form of chemotherapy to avoid or delay radiation therapy whenever possible. We have introduced a new treatment for certain patients, in which chemotherapy is injected around the eye instead of being given intravenously. This can be more effective and also avoids some of the side effects of intravenous chemotherapy. This new treatment is discussed in greater detail in the journal Ophthalmology.

Retinoblastoma tumors that have metastasized outside the eye are often described as being incurable. However, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering we have successfully treated children with disease that has spread to their bones, bone marrow, and liver with intensive chemotherapy. The results have been very promising. A new intrathecal medication (given into the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord) is available for patients whose retinoblastoma has spread to the surface of the brain. This procedure is discussed in the journal Cancer.

You may wish to have a formal consultation at the Retinoblastoma Program of Memorial Sloan-Kettering. Feel free to contact us at 212-639-2153; we will be happy to discuss your child's condition with you and organize a formal consultation if you want one.