Treatment of conjunctival papillomata with topical interferon Alfa-2b.

PURPOSE

Two patients with biopsy-proven conjunctival papillomata exhibited complete resolution after treatment with topical Interferon Alfa-2b (IFNalpha2b).

DESIGN

Interventional case reports.

METHODS

Two patients with monocular biopsy-confirmed conjunctival papillomata were treated with IFNalpha2b, 1 million units/cc, one drop four times daily until clinical resolution was achieved.

RESULTS

(Patient 1) The lesion's size was significantly reduced at 1 month. Complete resolution was noted at the 3-month visit. No recurrences were seen 40 months post-treatment. (Patient 2) The lesion completely resolved after 6 weeks of treatment. No recurrence has occurred 18 months post-treatment. No systemic or local side effect of treatment was noted.

CONCLUSIONS

Two sizable conjunctival papillomata resolved using topical IFNalpha2b alone. Interferon is usually not considered effective for large solid tumors without surgical debulking. We realize that this is a limited case series, but these cases may serve as a basis for further investigation.