HIGH-DOSE INTRAVITREAL TOPOTECAN FOR RECURRENT RETINOBLASTOMA, SUBRETINAL SEEDS, AND VITREOUS SEEDS.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of high-dose intravitreal topotecan (IvitTopo) for recurrent retinoblastoma.

METHODS

There were 13 patients with recurrent retinoblastoma treated with high-dose IvitTopo (90 micrograms [ μ g]/0.18cc-100 µ g/0.20cc). The primary outcome measures were tumor control, globe salvage, and treatment complications.

RESULTS

At date first seen, median patient age was 9 months, and the affected eye was classified as International Classification of Retinoblastoma Group B (n = 2, 15%), Group C (n = 3, 23%), or Group D (n = 8, 62%) retinoblastoma with initial therapy of intravenous chemotherapy (n = 9, 69%) or intraarterial chemotherapy (n = 4, 31%). Recurrent tumor was detected at median 10 months as solid tumor (n = 3), subretinal seeds (n = 10), and/or vitreous seeds (n = 3) and high-dose IvitTopo (median three injections) delivered at monthly intervals. Additional chemotherapy was delivered by intraarterial (n = 8, 62%) or intravenous (n = 1, 8%) routes, and one eye received additional cryotherapy (n = 1, 8%). In three cases (23%), there was no additional therapy. At mean follow-up of 9 months, regression of solid tumor, subretinal seeds, and vitreous seeds was achieved in 12 cases (92%), and globe salvage was achieved in all cases (n = 13, 100%). Of those three eyes treated with high-dose IvitTopo alone, tumor control was initially achieved in all cases (100%), but one case that previously demonstrated massive vitreous seeding showed late recurrence of a solitary vitreous seed at 8 months. There were no complications.

CONCLUSION

High-dose IvitTopo is an effective and safe therapy for recurrent retinoblastoma, in conjunction with other therapy, and possibly as a stand-alone therapy.