The eyes of a child – crinkled in a smile, wide open in wonder – tug at our hearts like nothing else. But retinoblastoma, a rare and frightening eye cancer, can threaten those eyes – and those of adults as well. Often the only cure has been to remove the eye, and even then, the disease can be fatal.

Today, there is new hope for treating this cancer, thanks to a breakthrough procedure developed by Dr. Pierre Gobin, attending radiologist, professor of radiology and neurosurgery, and director, Division of Interventional Neuroradiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and his partner, Dr. David H. Abramson, chief, Ophthalmic Oncology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Dr. Gobin and Dr. Abramson's innovative treatment uses intra-arterial chemotherapy, or "chemosurgery," to treat the retinoblastoma. With the aid of an angiography (x-ray) machine, Dr. Gobin injects a stream of tumor-killing medicine directly into the eye's artery (which is only slightly larger than dental floss!)

This method allows the concentration of chemicals to be at far higher levels than when they are injected into an arm vein, where perhaps less than 1 percent actually reaches the eye. The procedure takes approximately one hour, and the tumor visibly shrinks within three weeks. It is a powerful treatment, with powerful promise to save eyes.

In the United States and northern Europe, retinoblastoma is caused by a gene mutation and occurs once in every 15,000 to 16,000 births. In most cases, the mutation occurs in a single cell in the eye, so only that eye develops a tumor. Scientists do not yet know why these sporadic mutations occur.

About a quarter of retinoblastoma cases are hereditary and have been linked to a specific gene mutation. Genetic testing is a way to determine if the cancer is hereditary, and a blood test can determine if your child has the retinoblastoma gene.

If either parent has the hereditary form of retinoblastoma, their child will have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the mutated gene that causes the disorder. Doctors recommend that these children receive eye exams every few months until the age of 3. Retinoblastoma tumors surface on the retina and, if left untreated, can spread to the brain via the optic nerve. One-half of the children in the world who develop this cancer will die.

A retinoblastoma tumor can usually be seen with a flashlight, and you may notice it in flash photographs, where, instead of the usual "red eye," the child's pupil will look white. Signs to look for include

• an unusual glint or white-looking pupil
• crossed or lazy eyes, or
• vision loss.

Usually, parents are the first to discover a retinoblastoma, and that is just how Utah Jazz point guard Derek Fisher and his wife, Candace, determined that something was not right with their 10-month-old twin daughter, Tatum.

After extensive research, Fisher found Doctors Gobin and Abramson and flew to New York City with his wife and Tatum for a consultation. They decided that the new procedure was the best chance they had to cure the advanced cancer in their baby girl's eye. "We could have lost my little girl if we had waited any longer," Fisher said.

Derek Fisher was no stranger to Dr. Gobin, who had had spent nine years at UCLA Medical Center rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers when Fisher was their point guard. Being a basketball fan, he also knew that the playoffs were going on and that Fisher might miss one or more games.

"We told the Fishers that we could work within Derek's schedule, but they were undeterred and wanted the treatment right away, regardless of how many playoff games Derek might miss," Dr. Gobin said.

After the procedure, the Fishers flew back to Salt Lake City. Derek had been placed on active list by his coach in case he did make it back in time. He arrived at the stadium after the third quarter and ran onto the court amid thunderous applause and cheers. After a gut-wrenching day helping his daughter fight a deadly cancer, Derek Fisher went on to help his team beat the Warriors in overtime. "Seeing my daughter's smiling face on the flight home was the best thing I could have seen in my life," Fisher said.

Four months later, Dr. Gobin says Tatum has responded well to the chemosurgery and her prognosis is excellent. "This new method is working very well. My hope is that a day will come when we'll not have to remove any eyes - ever," said Dr. Gobin.

To reach Dr. Pierre Gobin, call 212.746.4998.

Click here to hear a podcast of Dr. Gobin and Dr. Abramson talk with Dr. Philip Stieg about Retinoblastoma, their breakthrough procedure and care for adults and children.