Radiating Hope: Radiology Department Blog

Search

Finding New and Better Ways To Treat Eye Cancer

Finding New and Better Ways To Treat Eye Cancer

The big “c” word, also known as cancer, has affected each and every one of us. Whether we have fought the battle ourselves, or have stood by family or friends while they faced it head on, we can all agree advancement in treatment and cures is constantly changing. This is just one reason why doctors at Cincinnati Children’s continue to lead the way in researching and advancing treatment for various types of cancer.

Anastomotic Vasculature of the Orbit: Intra-arterial Chemotherap

In May of 2008, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital became one of the first three hospitals in North America to offer a new form of therapy for a rare form of pediatric eye cancer called retinoblastoma. The new therapy, known as selective ophthalmic artery infusion chemotherapy (SOAIC), allows the elimination of cancer cells in the eye without having to surgically remove the eye. Since this type of chemotherapy is targeted to tumor cells with surgical precision, the negative side effects of chemotherapy (nausea, vomiting, hearing loss, bone marrow toxicity resulting in infections and bleeding) are usually avoided.

Prior to the development of this pioneering new approach, children with intermediate to advanced retinoblastoma could only be treated by surgical removal of the affected eye or a combination of intravenous chemotherapy and radiation. Unfortunately, intravenous chemotherapy and radiation often failed to control the tumor and frequently resulted in blindness (because of radiation effects on the eye) or radiation-induced tumors elsewhere. SOAIC, which is performed in state-of-the-art Interventional Radiology suites at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, offers the promise of long-term tumor remission with eye salvage and preservation of vision in the affected eye.

JNIS cover 2015-12-10_14-24-48.jpg

Doctors at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital continue to lead advances in the field. A new method of SOAIC that we developed here at Cincinnati Children’s was recently featured on the cover of the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery (JNIS October 2015, Volume 7, Issue 10 p 770-776.). Whether you are bringing your child to our facility for just one visit, or are becoming a regular, you can take comfort in knowing Children’s Hospital is leading the way with top notch care every day.

Contributions by Dr. Todd Abruzzo and edited by Bessie Ganim, (RT-NucMed).

Abruzzo template

Avatar photo

About the author: Bessie Ganim

Bessie is a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. She has been an employee of Cincinnati Children's for 10 years and has always wanted a career working with kids. At home she has two energetic children and loves being a mom more than anything. She is passionate about equal rights for the LGBT community.

About The Department

The Radiology Department at Cincinnati Children's is a leader in pediatric diagnostic imaging, radiology research, and radiation dose reduction.

Radiology Specialties