Mangaluru: Father Muller Medical College Hospital (FMMCH) has successfully performed Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy (IAC) for a eight month old child diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare form of eye cancer affecting young children. The surgery was conducted in the second week of Oct and has shown considerable improvement during their routine visit last week.Performed by Dr Lenon D’Souza, Unit Chief & Associate Professor, Interventional Radiology and Dr Mandeep Sagar, Associate Professor, Interventional Radiology; along with their team from the Department of Interventional Radiology, in collaboration with Dr Sripathi Kamath, Professor, department of Ophthalmology at FMMCH.Retinoblastoma is a potentially life-threatening cancer that develops in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. In advanced cases, surgical removal of the affected eye may become necessary to control the disease. Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy offers an innovative, minimally invasive alternative in selected patients, with the potential to preserve the affected eye.During the procedure, a very thin, flexible tube is carefully guided through the blood vessels to reach the tiny blood vessel supplying the tumour in the affected eye. Chemotherapy is then delivered directly into this blood vessel, allowing a high concentration of anticancer medication to reach the tumour while reducing exposure to the rest of the body. This targeted approach can help minimise some of the side effects commonly associated with conventional intravenous or systemic chemotherapy.For this child, the procedure offered an important opportunity to control the tumour and potentially avoid surgical removal of the eye.The child’s treatment journey began under the care of Dr Harsha Prasad, Consultant Paediatric Haemato-Oncologist at KMC Hospital, who evaluated the child and initiated systemic chemotherapy for retinoblastoma involving both eyes. Subsequently, Prof. Dr Sripathi Kamath, Ophthalmologist, successfully treated the tumour in the opposite eye with a curative eye-directed procedureHowever, the tumour in the other eye required additional specialised treatment; Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy (IAC) to further reduce the tumour burden and improve the chances of preserving the affected eye. Two weeks after the IAC procedure, the child underwent intravitreal chemotherapy, in which anticancer medication is carefully injected directly into the eye to target residual tumour cells, particularly those within the vitreous cavity.This procedure was led by Prof. Dr Sripathi Kamath, supported by Prof. Dr Sunayana Bhat and the Department of Ophthalmology at FMMCH.The child is currently doing well, with an encouraging response to treatment.BoxParents should be alert to early warning signs, including:A white reflection in the pupil, particularly noticeable in flash photographs.Squinting or misalignment of the eyes.Persistent redness, swelling or pain in the eye.Reduced vision or unusual eye movements.
