Aims: Herein we report successful eye salvage following combined intravitreal and intracameral administration of melphalan for anterior chamber recurrence of retinoblastoma.
Methods: A 12-month-old boy was referred with a sporadic bilateral retinoblastoma staged as group D and V in the right eye and group E and V in the left eye. Treatment initially involved 6 cycles of 3 drugs followed by focal treatments. The left eye was enucleated. Three months after the end of systemic chemotherapy, multiple recurrent lesions were noted in the ciliary body and the anterior chamber. A series of intravitreal (IVT) and intracameral (IC) injections of melphalan combined with a 7th cycle of systemic chemotherapy was performed. The therapeutic schedule alternated: week A an IVT of melphalan (30 μg/0.1 mL) for a total of 4 versus week B IC injections of melphalan (15 μg/0.05 mL) 4 IC in total. Each injection was preceded by an anterior chamber. Cryotherapy to the injection punctures was systematically performed.
Results: Rapidly, iris and ciliary body nodules regressed completely based on clinical and ultrasound biomicroscopic examinations. After 3 years of follow-up, the patient has shown no evidence of recurrence.
Conclusion: In our patient, combined IVT and IC administration of melphalan proved highly efficacious in eradicating the ciliary body and anterior chamber disease and salvage of his one remaining functional eye.
Keywords: Intravitreal injection; Melphalan; Retinoblastoma; Treatment.