Intralesional bevacizumab injections effective in reducing pterygium

Cornea. 2011; 30(2):127-129.

Intralesional injections of bevacizumab were effective in reducing the size of pterygium and were well tolerated, a study found. However, the decrease in size may not be clinically significant, according to the study authors.

"The promising point of view is that in these studies, there was no reported adverse effect for bevacizumab," the study authors said.

Seventeen patients with pterygium, 14 with primary pterygium and three with recurrent pterygium, were given a 2.5 mg/0.1 mL injection of Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech) with a 25-gauge needle. Patients were examined at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months.

Before injection, the mean percentage size of lesions was 17.2% of the corneal surface. The mean percentage size of lesions was 15.1% after 1 week, 13.4 % after 1 month and 14.1% after 3 months, according to the study.

The mean decrease in lesion size was 3.97%.

There were statistically significant differences between percentage of lesion size at baseline and at all follow-up intervals (P < .001), the study authors said.

Visual acuity did not change and there were no ocular complications linked to injection. Fibrovascular lesions in patients with primary pterygium did not progress, according to the study.

The study authors said that further clinical significance could be determined in later studies that examine repeated injection of bevacizumab and its effectiveness before or during surgical removal of pterygium.