Metastatic Death Following Ophthalmic Artery Chemotherapy for Retinoblastoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objective: The use of ophthalmic artery chemotherapy (OAC) as a front-line and salvage therapy for retinoblastoma has grown. However, the risk of metastatic death in these patients remains unclear. Materials and Methods: This study of metastatic deaths in OAC may benefit physicians managing retinoblastoma patients. A literature search of Medline, Scopus, Science Direct, and CINAHL was conducted from conception until November 2023. The primary outcome was metastatic death in patients treated with OAC. Results: From the 219 evaluated articles, nine met the inclusion criteria. A total of 596 (635 eyes) patients were treated with OAC; and 20 cases resulted in death due to metastasis of the retinoblastoma. The metastatic mortality rate was 2.5% (95% confidence interval: 0.8%-4.2%) which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The central nervous system was the most common site of metastasis, followed by multiple sites of metastasis. Conclusion: OAC treatment is associated with the risk of metastatic death, but it is lower than the overall mortality rate of retinoblastoma. Further studies to identify the risk of metastasis are needed.