Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effect and complications of combined intravitreal melphalan and intravenous/intra-arterial chemotherapy as a primary approach for retinoblastoma with vitreous seeds.
Methods: In this retrospective case series, eight eyes from eight retinoblastoma patients with vitreous seeds were included. All eyes received 20-30 μg of intravitreal melphalan accompanied by intravenous and intra-arterial chemotherapy. Triple freeze-thaw cryotherapy was performed when withdrawing the needle from the eye to prevent tumor dissemination.
Results: Tumors and vitreous seeds regressed in all eyes. The mean number of intravitreal melphalan injections was 3.25 (median 3.50, range 2-4). Globe salvage was attained in seven of eight eyes (87.5 %). Enucleation was performed in one case, in which the pathologic section showed no residual tumor and tumor-free resection margins. Serous retinal detachment was observed in four eyes (50 %), and vitreous hemorrhage developed in two (25 %). Retinal pigment epithelium atrophy or mottling was found in three eyes (37.5 %). There were no cases of extraocular tumor extension or remote metastasis.
Conclusions: Combined intravitreal melphalan and intravenous/intra-arterial chemotherapy was effective for tumor and vitreous seeding control, but vision-threatening complications such as vitreous hemorrhage or serous retinal detachment occurred in half the cases.
Keywords: Combined modality therapy; Intravitreal injections; Melphalan; Neoplasm seeding; Retinoblastoma.