This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Combination treatment more effective for conjunctival and corneal intraepithelial neoplasia
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
A combination of interferon alfa-2b and retinoic acid may be more effective in treating conjunctival and corneal intraepithelial neoplasia lesions compared with interferon alfa-2b alone, according to a study.
The retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series examined 89 eyes of 89 patients from one institution who were treated for conjunctival and corneal intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions with topical interferon alfa 1 million IU/mL drops four times daily and retinoic acid 0.01% once every second day. All eyes were followed for at least 1 year after resolution of the lesions.
In 87 eyes (97.75%), complete clinical resolution of CIN lesions was achieved in a mean of 1.69 months (range: 19 days to 6.5 months). Mean follow-up after resolution was 51.5 months (range: 11 months to 84 months).
Four of the 87 patients developed a mild allergic papillary conjunctivitis, and their interferon dosage was reduced to 0.5 million IU drops three times daily.
The study authors compared their results with a study of interferon alone treatment in 27 eyes. In that study, there was a longer median resolution time, a lower complete resolution rate and a higher recurrence rate.
“We hypothesize that topical all-trans retinoic acid 0.01% once every second day and interferon alfa-2b may act synergistically and that combination treatment of interferon alfa-2b and retinoic acid may offer a superior alternative to interferon alfa-2b alone in treating CIN,” the authors said.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts