Current treatment options for conjunctival and corneal intraepithelial neoplasia

Intraepithelial neoplasia of the cornea and conjunctiva (CIN) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) lie on a continuum of the same dysplastic process. The etiology of this disease is most likely multifactorial, involving such factors as age, fair pigmentation, ultraviolet light exposure, human papillomavirus, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is known that CIN and SCC have a high recurrence rate after excision alone. Cryotherapy, radiation, and chemotherapeutics have been used after excision to reduce recurrence rates. More recently, mitomycin-C, 5-fluorouracil, and interferon-alpha-2b have been successfully employed alone against CIN and SCC, thereby eliminating the need for surgical excision altogether. The various treatments for CIN and SCC are reviewed and discussed.