Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the long–term safety and effectiveness of intralesional interferon alfa–2b in the treatment of conjunctival mucosa–associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.
Methods: :
Eleven patients (12 eyes) with conjunctival MALT lymphoma treated with a course of intralesional injections of interferon alfa–2b have been studied prospectively. Slit–lamp examination, incisional biopsy and systemic evaluation were performed before treatment in all patients. Immunohistopathological analysis of the specimens confirmed the diagnosis of extranodal B–cell lymphoma of the marginal zone (MALT, low–grade) in all cases and systemic disease was excluded in all patients. Interferon alfa–2b 1,500,000 IU injected intralesionally three times a week for four weeks followed by interferon alfa–2b 1,000,000 IU three times a week for further four weeks was administered to all patients. Slit lamp examination was performed 1,3, 6 months and then yearly after treatment, incisional biopsy was repeated 6 months after treatment.
Results: :
Complete clinical remission was observed in 10 patients (10 eyes) at 3 months follow–up. Histopathological evaluation after treatment showed normal tissue with only inflammatory cells infiltrates in all cases. One patient with bilateral conjunctival involvement showed an incomplete clinical response. In 9 patients no local recurrence could be evidenced at a median follow–up of 64 months. One patient presented with a conjunctival recurrence 11 months after treatment and one patient presented with an orbital controlateral relapse 20 months after treatment. No local side effects were produced by the drug, but a transient flu–like syndrome was reported by the patients.
Conclusions: :
Intralesional interferon alfa–2b is a minimally invasive but effective method of treatment for conjunctival MALT lymphoma as long term remission was achieved in 81.8% of patients.
Keywords: conjunctiva • oncology • injection