If retinoblastoma spreads

Last medical review:

Cancer cells can spread from the eye to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis.

Understanding how a type of cancer usually grows and spreads helps your childʼs healthcare team plan the treatment and future care. If retinoblastoma spreads, it can spread to the following:

  • choroid (the thin blood vessel layer of tissue between the sclera and retina)
  • sclera (the white part of the eye)
  • fluid in the eye (called the vitreous humour)
  • conjunctiva (the clear membrane that covers the inner surface of the eyelid and the outer surface of the sclera)
  • optic nerve
  • eye socket (orbit)
  • eyelid
  • hollow chambers around the nose (called the paranasal sinuses)
  • lymph nodes in the head and neck
  • brain
  • bone
  • bone marrow
  • liver

Expert review and references

  • Stephanie Kletke, MD, FRCSC
  • American Cancer Society. Retinoblastoma. 2018. https://www.cancer.org/.
  • Choudhary MM, Singh AD. Ophthalmic cancers. Raghavan D, Ahluwalia MS, Blanke CD, et al, eds.. Textbook of Uncommon Cancers. 5th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Blackwell; 2017: Kindle version chapter 68 https://read.amazon.ca/?asin=B06XKD44V3&_encoding=UTF8&ref=dbs_p_ebk_r00_pbcb_rnvc00.
  • Leahey AM, Gombos DS, Chevez-Barrios P. Retinoblastoma. Blaney SM, Adamson PC, Helman LJ (eds.). Pizzo and Pollack's Pediatric Oncology. 8th ed. Wolters Kluwer; 2021: Kindle version, [chapter 32] https://read.amazon.ca/?asin=B08DVWZNVP&language=en-CA.
  • Mallipatna AC, Gallie BL, Chévez-Barrios P, et al. Retinoblastoma. Amin, MB (ed.). AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. 8th ed. Chicago, IL: American College of Surgeons; 2017: 68:827–839.
  • PDQ® Pediatric Treatment Editorial Board. Retinoblastoma Treatment (PDQ®) – Health Professional Version. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2024. https://www.cancer.gov/.
  • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Retinoblastoma. 2024. https://together.stjude.org/en-us/.
  • Yeo KK. Retinoblastoma. Merck Manual Consumer Version. Kenilworth, NJ: Merck & Co, Inc; 2024. https://www.merckmanuals.com/en-ca/home.

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