SECONDARY SALVAGE INTRAVENOUS CHEMOTHERAPY FOR REFRACTORY/RECURRENT RETINOBLASTOMA: A Study of 41 Eyes.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy of secondary salvage intravenous chemotherapy (IVC) for refractory/recurrent retinoblastoma.

Methods: Retrospective, nonrandomized interventional case series of 41 eyes of 33 patients with recurrent retinoblastoma.

Results: Of the 33 patients, mean age at the time of commencement of salvage IVC was 5 years (median, 5 years; range, 2-8 years). At presentation, recurrent retinoblastoma in 41 eyes of 33 patients was classified by the International Classification of Retinoblastoma as Group B (n = 7; 17%), Group C (n = 3; 7%), Group D (n = 16; 39%), and Group E (n = 15; 37%). All patients received 6 cycles of IVC as primary treatment. The indication for secondary salvage IVC with focal treatment included recurrent solid tumor (n = 36; 88%), subretinal seeds (n = 22; 54%), or persistent solid tumor (n = 2; 5%). Mean number of cycles of salvage IVC were 8 (median, 6; range, 6-18). Over a mean follow-up period of 43 months (median, 43 months; range, 12-96 months) after completion of salvage IVC, globe salvage was achieved in 22 (54%) eyes, 1 (3%) patient had histopathology-proven bone metastasis, and 1 (3%) patient died because of presumed metastasis.

Conclusion: Secondary salvage IVC with appropriate focal treatment allows globe salvage in 54% eyes with refractory/recurrent retinoblastoma and thus serves as an alternative to intraarterial chemotherapy or enucleation.