[Oncology 1992. Association with ophthalmology and brief status evaluation]

Several clinical situations require the cooperation of ophthalmologist and medical oncologist. Systemic metastasis spreading from an ocular primary tumor may rarely pose a problem. Liver metastasis from an ocular melanoma can be treated with intrahepatic chemoembolization and local palliation can be achieved. Disseminated tumors such as breast cancer or leukemias may spread to the eye and require local therapy. Per continuitatem orbital infiltrations of i.e. nasopharyngeal carcinomas need a cooperative management. Ocular side effects from chemo/radiotherapy may be especially severe in high dose therapies such as preparative regimes for allogeneic bone marrow transplants (BMT). A Sjögren-type sicca syndrome, cataracts and a microvasculopathy with cotton wool spots are associated with total body irradiation and the immunosuppression needed in BMT. Cancer research over the past ten years was increasingly influenced by molecular biology which has added to our understanding of tumor biology. The retinoblastoma gene is a typical example of a tumor suppressor gene. It regulates cell growth in its normal physiological state. Deletions may occur, that lead to tumor formation. The detection of oncogenes helps in the diagnosis of leukemias or lymphomas. Growth factors such as the Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) were introduced recently. The differentiation therapy with retinoids has brought a new dimension into the field of cancer treatment and probably also of cancer prophylaxis. Taxol, an alkaloid from the yew tree is a novel cytostatic compound with very promising activity in tumors such as refractory ovarian or breast cancer. High dose therapy with BMT today is an established treatment for certain leukemias.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)