Relapsed ocular squamous surface neoplasia treated with topical interferon alfa-2b

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Oncology
• Cytopathology

Background:

• Conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is a pre-malignant ocular surface lesion.
• Recurrence after surgical excision necessitates effective adjuvant therapies.
• Accurate diagnosis and monitoring are crucial for managing CIN.

Observation:

• A patient with recurrent CIN presented with a large conjunctival lesion.
• Conjunctival impression cytology confirmed the diagnosis of CIN.
• The lesion was treated with topical interferon alfa-2b (IFN-α-2β) as adjuvant therapy post-surgery.

Findings:

• Topical IFN-α-2β treatment resulted in significant lesion involution within one month.
• Complete regression of the CIN lesion was achieved after six months of treatment.
• Conjunctival impression cytology was utilized for ongoing follow-up.

Implications:

• Topical IFN-α-2β demonstrates potential as a chemoreductive and curative agent for CIN.
• Conjunctival impression cytology is a useful, non-invasive method for CIN diagnosis and follow-up.
• This approach may offer an alternative or adjunct to traditional surgical management of CIN.