Until recently
chemotherapy was used as adjuvant
therapy after enucleation in cases with extraretinal spread of the
disease (uveal extension, orbital extension, neoplastic infiltrates of the optic nerve at resection line, intracranial
metastasis, generalized disease). Recent experience has proved that use of
chemotherapy for intraocular
retinoblastoma before local treatment (so called "chemoreduction") has allowed not only to decrease number of enucleations and indications for external beam irradiation or limit the extension of local
therapy, but also increase chances for vision preservation and decrease the risk of severe complications. Seventy five children (with 106 involved eyes) aged 0.2 - 106 months with intraocular
retinoblastoma diagnosed between January 1996 and June 2009 were the subject of this study. Among 106 involved eyes, in 70 (66%) the V stage according to Reese-Ellsworth classification (R-E) was established. Enucleation before
chemotherapy was necessary in 9 (8.5%) cases, and in 22 more children the eye had to be removed after 1-2 courses of
chemotherapy. In 68 remaining children (with 70 involved eyes) VEC (
vincristine,
etoposide,
carboplatin)
chemotherapy combined with delayed local
therapy (
cryotherapy,
photocoagulation,
brachytherapy) was employed. Out of 84 eyes treated by combined methods
eye enucleation could be avoided in 47 (67%), including 18 (90%), 13 (87%) and 16 (46%) qualified to R-E group I-II, III-IV and V, respectively. First-line
chemotherapy combined with the local treatment should be standard treatment for intraocular
retinoblastoma groups I - IV. More effective
therapy is required for R-E eye group V cases.