Effect of intra-arterial chemotherapy drug regimens on globe salvage outcomes of retinoblastoma patients
Reviewed by Jonathan Chan

This is a retrospective study from Shandong University, China, between May 2016 to November 2019, to compare the effect of 3-drug regimen (melphalan (MP) , topotecan (TP) and Carboplatin (CP)) of 95 patients (97 eyes) with two-drug regimen (MP and TP only) on the globe salvage outcomes of retinoblastoma (RB) with intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC). Eighty-four matched (42:42) patients (eyes) were studied. Complete eye examination pre IAC using wide-angle digital fundus camera was performed monthly. Eyes treated with three-drug regimen IAC achieved a higher overall progression-free ocular survival (PFOS) than the two-drug regimen group (p=0.026). Stratified analysis showed PFOS rate for group D eyes was higher in the three-drug group than two-drug group (p=0.009). Similarly, group E eyes had a higher PFOS score in the three-drug group (p=0.002). Both treatment groups did not show significant differences in terms of overall survival (OS), relapse rate, incidence of moderate -severe myelosuppression or ophthalmic occlusion. The authors concluded that the three-drug regimen was a superior IAC treatment compared to the two-drug group with improved PFOS for advanced RB patients.

Effect of intra-arterial chemotherapy drug regimens on globe salvage outcomes of retinoblastoma patients.
He X, Han M, Zhou M, et al.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
2025;109(8):888–93.