Most retinoblastoma survivors have normal psychosocial functioning

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

Most retinoblastoma survivors do not have poorer psychosocial functioning compared with people without cancer, a recent study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has shown.

Although survival rates for patients with retinoblastoma are higher than 95% in the United States, there is limited data about the long-term psychosocial outcomes of these survivors.

For the study, researchers surveyed 470 retinoblastoma survivors diagnosed between 1932 and 1994 and treated in New York. Of those, 53.6% had retinoblastoma in both eyes.

Participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire by mail or telephone to evaluate psychosocial outcomes such as psychological distress, anxiety, depression, fear of cancer recurrence, satisfaction with facial appearance, and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Results showed that retinoblastoma survivors did not have significantly higher rates of depression, somatization, distress, or anxiety compared with noncancer controls.

Researchers also found that bilateral and unilateral retinoblastoma survivors have similar psychological symptoms.

According to the American Cancer Society, retinoblastoma is a rare disease diagnosed in only approximately 200 to 300 children each year in the United States.