Intra-arterial Melphalan in Treating Younger Patients With Unilateral Retinoblastoma

Inclusion Criteria: * Newly diagnosed patients with unilateral group D retinoblastoma * Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (or computed tomography \[CT\] if MRI is not available) of the brain must be performed within 14 days prior to study entry * Diagnostic examination under anesthesia (EUA) must be performed within 14 days prior to study entry * Rapid central review confirmation of group D disease based on RetCam images from diagnostic EUA must be obtained before starting treatment * Patients must have a performance status corresponding to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scores of 0, 1 or 2 * Patients must have a life expectancy of \>= 8 weeks * Patients must have adequate renal function, defined as: * Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \>= 70 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 or * A serum creatinine based on age/gender as follows: * 1 month to \< 6 months: 0.4 mg/dL * 6 months to \< 1 year: 0.5 mg/dL * 1 to \< 2 years: 0.6 mg/dL * 2 to \< 6 years: 0.8 mg/dL * 6 to \< 10 years: 1 mg/dL * 10 to \< 13 years: 1.2 mg/dL * 13 to \< 16 years: 1.5 mg/dL (male); 1.4 mg/dL (female) * \>= 16 years: 1.7 mg/dL (male); 1.4 mg/dL (female) * Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) for age * Serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) (alanine aminotransferase \[ALT\]) \< 2.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) for age Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with bilateral disease * Unilateral retinoblastoma with group A, B…