Interferon drops for squamous cell carcinoma of conjunctiva – pro

Close up of a Medical History form and a doctor's Stethoscope

Treatment for conjunctival squamous cell cancer depends on surgical removal, cryotherapy, radiation therapy, and topical chemotherapy. The motivation is to avoid repeated surgeries and to improve the results of surgery when done postoperatively.  Various topical agents, including interferon drops, have been used by investigators to treat various premalignant and malignant lesions of the conjunctiva, such as primary acquired melanosis with atypia, conjunctival melanoma, squamous intraepithelial neoplasia and squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva, and pagetoid spread of the conjunctiva arising from sebaceous cell carcinoma.

Interferon has an indirect antiproliferative effect of topical interferon on superficial tumor cells and it promotes an immune response through an activation of host cytotoxic effector cells. Literature supports is use in carcinoma in situ situations and it appears to be almost long term toxicity free. However, this drug is supported entirely by case reports and series and there has not been a prospective comparative study of it for ocular carcinoma in situ or invasive cancer.

V. Huerva et al, Treatment of conjunctival squamous neoplasias with interferon alpha 2b Treatment of conjunctival squamous neoplasias with interferon alpha 2ab Journal Français d’Ophtalmologie Volume 31, Issue 3, March 2008, Pages 317–325

Barry A. Schechter et al, Long-term Follow-up of Conjunctival and Corneal Intraepithelial Neoplasia Treated with Topical Interferon Alfa-
Ophthalmology Volume 115, Issue 8, August 2008, Pages 1291–1296.
 
Sanket U. Shah, MD; Swathi Kaliki, MD; H. Jane Kim, MD; Sara E. Lally, MD; Jerry A. Shields, MD; Carol L. Shields, MD
Topical Interferon Alfa-2b for Management of Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia in 23 Cases:
Outcomes Based on American Joint Committee on Cancer Classification, JAMA Opthalmology Feb 2012, Vol 130, No. 2

Jonathan W Kim and David H Abramson Topical treatment options for conjunctival neoplasms Clin Ophthalmol. 2008 September; 2(3): 503–515.

Carol L Karp Pegylated interferon alpha 2b for treatment of ocular surface squamous neoplasia: a pilot study Ocul Immunol Inflamm 18:254-60. 2010

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