Comprehensive, Expert Retinoblastoma Care in the Mountain West
Each year about 300 children in the United States are diagnosed with retinoblastoma, an eye cancer that makes up about 1% of childhood cancers. This cancer typically occurs in young children, often around age one to two.
A comprehensive care team, like the one based at the John A. Moran Eye Center, is essential to help children diagnosed with retinoblastoma achieve the best possible outcomes. With advanced treatments, most survive the cancer and go on to lead healthy lives with vision comparable to their peers.
Why Choose Us for Retinoblastoma Treatment
The Moran Eye Center, working in collaboration with Huntsman Cancer Institute and , uses cutting edge diagnostics, treatments, and therapies to offer world-class, compassionate care for our retinoblastoma patients.
The University of Utah is one of only a few centers nationwide that offers a dedicated, comprehensive service for children affected by retinoblastoma. This service allows our patients in Utah and the surrounding region to receive advanced, coordinated care close to home.
Huntsman Cancer Institute is the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, with unique resources to support eye cancer care.
Primary Children’s Hospital (PCH) offers a personalized approach to your child’s care, including support to families and children throughout their treatment, with care coordinators, nurses, child life specialists, social workers, and psychology and nutrition services. PCH also has a highly skilled team of pediatric anesthesiologists to provide safe and personalized anesthesia care throughout your child's treatment.
Retinoblastoma treatment requires a care team with expertise in many specialties, which might include providers in medical oncology, interventional radiology, radiation oncology, genetic counseling, and clinical social work. Our teams of board-certified and fellowship-trained doctors meet and collaborate frequently to optimize a patient’s individual care.
We offer state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and treatments:
- Intra-arterial chemotherapy (or ophthalmic artery chemosurgery)
- Intraocular chemotherapy (intravitreal chemotherapy)
- Personalized systemic chemotherapy treatment
- Laser therapy
- Cryotherapy
- Targeted radiation, including pediatric brachytherapy
- Enucleation
- Certified genetic counselors, with a full array of genetic testing
- Advanced diagnostics, including:
- Hand-held optical coherence tomography (OCT)
- High-resolution ultrasonography
- Portable electroretinography (ERG)
- Custom eye prosthesis options
Our team also is committed to advancing the care of retinoblastoma through innovative research and access to clinical trials to learn more about tumor biology and new treatments.
What is Retinoblastoma?
Retinoblastoma is often spotted by physicians or relatives who spot something unusual about the child's eyes, like a white spot on the pupil.
Retinoblastoma Symptoms
- Pupil looks cloudy or has an abnormal white reflection
- Eyes appear to point in different directions
- Pain or redness in the eye
- Eyeball looks larger than normal
Retinoblastoma Treatment
- Laser
- Cryotherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery (enucleation)
Meet Our Specialists
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Tiffany McKenna: Oncology Coordinator
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Matthew Dietz, DO, MSED: Co-Director of Retinoblastoma Program
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Casey Merhhoff, DO: Attending Physician
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Rosann Miller: Oncology Nurse Coordinator
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: Director, Pediatric Interventional Radiology
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Matthew M. Poppe, MD: Director Pediatric Radiation Oncology
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Jennie Vagher
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Wendy Kohlmann
Our Care Team
John A. Moran Eye Center
- Oculoplastics
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Ocular Pathology
Huntsman Cancer Institute
- Radiation Oncology
- Medical Oncology
- Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program
- Social Work
- Cytopathology
Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
- Interventional Radiology
- Neurosurgery
Patient and Family Resources
Hear From Our Specialists
From Daisy to Mina—New Book Helps Families Dealing with a Rare Eye Cancer
Daisy Callister's experience with retinoblastoma inspired “Mina and Her New Eye,” a new children's book created by the Patient Support Program at the Moran Eye Center.
Baby Monitor Image Leads to Eye Cancer Diagnosis
Benny’s retinoblastoma was caught early enough for doctors at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital and the Moran Eye Center to use an innovative, minimally invasive treatment.