Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of multiagent chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant treatment of retinoblastoma.Noncomparative, prospective case series.Twenty consecutive patients with multifocal intraocular retinoblastoma (4 unilateral, 16 bilateral [36 eyes]).Eight cycles of chemotherapy with carboplatin and vincristine were administered at 3-week intervals over a 6-month period. Supplemental therapy was withheld until disease progression was documented.Disease progression (defined as tumor growth, vitreous or subretinal seed progression, and new tumor formation), delay of external beam radiotherapy, and ocular survival.Thirty-six eyes were treated. Eighteen eyes had Reese-Ellsworth group I-III tumors, and 16 eyes had Reese-Ellsworth group IV-V tumors at diagnosis. Two patients, who had unilateral disease at diagnosis, subsequently had tumors develop in the contralateral eye. Nineteen of 20 patients (95%) completed eight cycles of chemotherapy without disease progression. Three eyes of three different patients were successfully treated with chemotherapy alone. Thirty-three of 36 eyes (92%) progressed after completion of chemotherapy: 15 of the 18 eyes (83.3%) with Reese-Ellsworth group I-III and 16 of 16 eyes (100%) with Reese-Ellsworth group IV-V tumors. Seventeen eyes (52%) had growth of a tumor, whereas 14 eyes (42%) had progressive vitreous seeding, and 2 eyes (6%) had new tumors develop. Fifteen eyes (42%) required external beam radiotherapy. Twenty-nine of 36 (80.5%) eyes were salvaged. The median follow-up after chemotherapy was 19 months (range, 3-42 months).Multiagent chemotherapy alone does not ensure a cure for multifocal intraocular retinoblastoma. Supplemental focal therapy is needed to control disease progression.

View details for Web of Science ID 000171964500045

View details for PubMedID 11713087