Primary prevention
There are no known measures for preventing spontaneous retinoblastoma.
For families with a known germline mutation, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis has been performed. In this procedure, embryos are fertilised using standard IVF techniques and biopsied at the 8-cell stage. Embryos found to be free of the familial mutation in the retinoblastoma gene are implanted, resulting in a live birth of a healthy child.[41] Genetic counselling for families may be helpful to guide appropriate screening and risk reduction measures.[42]
Secondary prevention
Preventative measures to decrease the risk of secondary cancers in germinal retinoblastoma patients include cessation of smoking during pregnancy, reduction in sun exposure, and reduction in exposure to ionising radiation (e.g., x-rays and CT scans).[109]
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