Fluorouracil therapy of intraocular Greene melanoma in the rabbit
K. R. Olsen, M. Blumenkranz, E. Hernandez, A. Hajek and M. Hartzer
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33101.
We evaluated the efficacy of intraocular and periocular fluorouracil
treatment in an experimental iris tumor of the rabbit (Greene amelanotic
melanoma). Four consecutive intravitreal injections of 1 mg of fluorouracil
given twice weekly completely suppressed tumor growth in all treated eyes
for six weeks if treatment was initiated 24 hours after tumor implantation.
In contrast, all control eyes implanted with an equal number of Greene
melanoma cells but treated with intravitreal saline developed massive tumor
invasion of the iris within two weeks. Additional subconjunctival therapy
following intravitreal therapy for two weeks was only slightly more
effective than intravitreal therapy alone. If therapy was delayed for one
week, the iris tumors became macroscopically visible and subsequent
treatment with intravitreal and subconjunctival fluorouracil was of limited
value in suppressing growth.
