Is Retinoblastoma inherited ?
Retinoblastoma occurs in heritable and nonheritable forms.
                    A child is thought to have the heritable form of retinoblastoma when one of the following is true:         - There is a family history of retinoblastoma.    - There is a certain mutation (change) in the RB1 gene. The mutation in the RB1 gene may be passed from the parent to the child or it may occur in the egg or sperm before conception or soon after conception.    - There is more than one tumor in the eye or there is a tumor in both eyes.    - There is a tumor in one eye and the child is younger than 1 year.        After heritable retinoblastoma has been diagnosed and treated, new tumors may continue to form for a few years. Regular eye exams to check for new tumors are usually done every 2 to 4 months for at least 28 months.    Nonheritable retinoblastoma is retinoblastoma that is not the heritable form. Most cases of retinoblastoma are the nonheritable form.
                
                
                    Treatment for both forms of retinoblastoma should include genetic counseling.
                    Parents should receive genetic counseling (a discussion with a trained professional about the risk of genetic diseases) to discuss genetic testing to check for a mutation (change) in the RB1 gene. Genetic counseling also includes a discussion of the risk of retinoblastoma for the child and the child's brothers or sisters.
                
                
                    Children with a family history of retinoblastoma should have eye exams to check for retinoblastoma.
                    A child with a family history of retinoblastoma should have regular eye exams beginning early in life to check for retinoblastoma, unless it is known that the child does not have the RB1 gene change. Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma may mean the child will need less intense treatment.   Brothers or sisters of a child with retinoblastoma should have regular eye exams by an ophthalmologist until age 3 to 5 years, unless it is known that the brother or sister does not have the RB1 gene change.
                
                
                    A child who has heritable retinoblastoma has an increased risk of trilateral retinoblastoma and other cancers.
                    A child with heritable retinoblastoma has an increased risk of a pineal tumor in the brain. When retinoblastoma and a brain tumor occur at the same time, it is called trilateral retinoblastoma. The brain tumor is usually diagnosed between 20 and 36 months of age. Regular screening using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) may be done for a child thought to have heritable retinoblastoma or for a child with retinoblastoma in one eye and a family history of the disease. CT (computerized tomography) scans are usually not used for routine screening in order to avoid exposing the child to ionizing radiation.    Heritable retinoblastoma also increases the child's risk of other types of cancer such as lung cancer, bladder cancer, or melanoma in later years. Regular follow-up exams are important.