Long-term follow-up of conjunctival and corneal intraepithelial neoplasia treated with topical interferon alfa-2b

Objective: To evaluate the long-term recurrence rate (> 1 year) of conjunctival and corneal intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) treated with topical interferon alfa-2b. Design: Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. Participants: Twenty-eight eyes of 26 patients from 2 institutions, treated between April 1997 and June 2005, with CIN lesions utilized topical interferon alfa-2b drops 4 times daily until clinical resolution was achieved. Methods: Patients' charts and clinical photographs were reviewed, and data were analyzed. Main Outcome Measures: All eyes were monitored for the possibility of recurrence with a minimum of 1-year follow-up from the time of documented clinical resolution. Results: Complete clinical resolution of the CIN lesions was achieved in 27 of the 28 eyes treated (96.4%). One of the 28 eyes treated (3.6%) had only a partial response to treatment. For the 27 eyes with complete response, resolution occurred after a median of 2.0 months (range, 10 days-15 months). Eyes were treated for a median of 3.2 months (range, 1-15). Median follow-up after clinical resolution (tumor-free period) was 42.4 months (range, 14-89). One eye of the 27 analyzed (3.7%) experienced a recurrence. Side effects of treatment were limited to mild conjunctival hyperemia and follicular conjunctivitis in 3 patients (12%). In all cases, there was total resolution of the side effects within 1 month after cessation of the medication. Conclusions: In this group of patients with CIN lesions observed for > 1 year, topical interferon alfa-2b was effective in treating lesions with minimal self-limited side effects.