What have we learnt about intraarterial chemotherapy (Ophthalmic Artery Chemosurgery) for retinoblastoma in the past 18 years? The third A. Linn Murphree Lecture.

Abstract

Intraarterial chemotherapy (Ophthalmic Artery Chemosurgery/OAC) for retinoblastoma has transformed management of retinoblastoma worldwide since Pierre Gobin MD and I introduced it in 2006. Case reports, institutional series, meta-analyses, and randomized trials have validated its effectiveness and safety. It allows more eyes to be saved (at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) as a result, we have gone from removing 96% of retinoblastoma eyes that presented with leukocoria (comparable to modern day International Classification "D" and "E" eyes) to saving 95% of these eyes with primary OAC management allows the majority of advanced intraocular eyes to be salvaged (both "D" and "E" eyes) prior to the chemoreduction era to saving 95% of these eyes with primary OAC management. OAC attains cures faster than intravenous protocols, has fewer systemic side effects, and is overall cheaper than intravenous approaches (because of the absence of side effects which are the main driver of cost in pediatric oncology). Unlike systemic chemotherapy no ports are needed (and no removal of ports for life threatening infections), it does not alter the immune system (so children can be immunized), it does not affect patient growth (and children who had received systemic chemotherapy catch up in growth during OAC), it does not affect hearing (which systemic Carboplatin does-especially in children <6 months of age), it eliminates the second cancers caused by radiation and systemic chemotherapy and does not compromise survival with all series showing patient survival >98%.