[Drug therapy for corneo-conjunctival neoplasm]

The goal of therapy for corneo-conjunctival neoplasm is lesion removal, with the most widespread procedure being complete tumor resection with or without associated chemotherapy lines. As this sort of procedure entails a high relapse rate (9-52%) the use of adjuvant therapies to reduce the occurence of relapse becomes a need. The administration of a number of topically administered drugs has been used for adjuvant therapy, including mitomycin C, 5-fluorouracil and interferon a 2b.

To determine the clinical experience published regarding the effectiveness of the various drug therapies for cor-neo-conjunctival neoplasm.

Information reported on this topic in the Medline database (1966-2004) was searched using corneo-conjunctival neoplasm, 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin C, and interferon ca2b as key words.

All papers quoting dosage for drugs used,treatment length, adverse effect development, and clinical response obtained were included.

Papers reporting the use of 5-fluorouracil re few when compared to those quoting other drugs, with a response rate of 88% and a relapse rate of 20%. The use of mitomycin C is widely described in the medical literature with a response rate of 90% and a relapse rate of 13%, but in association with the development of adverse effects in a high percentage of patients. Interferon ca 2b is the last drug to be incorporated in the treatment of these ocular lesions, with a response rate of 100% and a low incidence of adverse effects, with a relapse rate of 4%.

Mitomycin C is an effective drug, but its use is associated with a high number of adverse events, some of which may lead to therapy discontinuation. Interferon ct 2b has efficacy outcomes comparable to mitomycin C and a lower incidence of adverse effects, which are mostly mild in nature. The use of 5-fluorouracil is relegated to a second-tier status.