Related Experiment Videos
Local chemotherapy with interferon-alpha for conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a preliminary
M A Blasi1, F Gherlinzoni, G Calvisi
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy. ma.blasi@flashnet.it
Objective:
To evaluate the efficacy of subconjunctival interferon-alpha for the treatment of conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.
Design:
Small, noncomparative, interventional case series.
Participants:
Five patients with histologically proven conjunctival MALT lymphoma were studied prospectively.
Methods:
Patients were given 1,500,000 international units (IU) of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) (Roferon-A) subconjunctivally inside the lesion, three times a week for four weeks. If there was even a minimal response, a further cycle of 1,000,000 IU three times a week for four weeks was administered. Patients received a maintenance dose of 1 million IU, every 15 days for 4 times, after clinical resolution of the lesion.
Main Outcome Measures:
Patients were followed clinically, with slit lamp examination, for evidence of tumor disappearance or recurrence.
Results:
Complete response was obtained in all patients. The lesion resolved completely by the eighth week. Four patients did not show any local recurrence with a median follow-up of 21 months (12-36 months). One patient presented with a recurrence after 11 months, in association with systemic lymphoma progression.
Conclusions:
Local chemotherapy with IFN-alpha seems to be an effective treatment modality, alternative to radiotherapy, for conjunctival MALT lymphomas.