Topical interferon or surgical excision for the management of primary ocular surface squamous neoplasia

To describe the successful treatment and long-term outcomes of primary ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) with topical interferon alfa-2b or surgical excision.

Retrospective, comparative, interventional case series.

Twenty-nine consecutive patients with OSSN never before treated.

Patients with primary OSSN chose topical interferon alfa-2b or excision with wide surgical margins, with crossover to surgery in those interferon-treated patients whose OSSN failed to regress within 2 months after beginning therapy.

Successful resolution of clinical disease at 2 months after topical interferon treatment and time to recurrence after either topical interferon or surgical excision.

Of 29 patients with primary OSSN, 15 elected topical interferon and 14 chose surgical excision. Two patients in the interferon group subsequently underwent surgical excision for apparent lack of response to interferon. No patient in either group developed a recurrence during the study period (disease-free follow-up: interferon group, mean, 35.6 months [95% confidence interval, 21.9-49.3]; surgery group, mean, 35.6 months [22.9-48.3]).

Both topical interferon alfa-2b and aggressive surgical excision appear to be effective for primary OSSN.