Retinoblastoma is the most common eye tumor in children, with an occurrence rate of one for every 15 to 20,000 births. Even today, little is known about the risk factors for this cancer. Recent studies have suggested an increased risk of retinoblastoma in children conceived using in vitro fertilization (IVF), but these results were contradicted by other research studies.

Researchers from Inserm unit 953 (Epidemiologic research into perinatal health and the health of women and children), in collaboration with the Institut Curie and the Research Centre into epidemiology and population health (CESP), have just published the results of the EPIRETINO study into the risk of retinoblastoma associated with infertility treatments (IVF, ovarian stimulation or intrauterine insemination); the results were published in the Human Reproduction review.

The results obtained from 244 non-hereditary forms of retinoblastoma compared with 28,170 births (representative of French births) did not demonstrate an increased risk of retinoblastoma. However, high maternal ages and hypofertility (with two-year periods taken to conceive) are risk factors for retinoblastoma.