Treatment of ocular surface squamous neoplasia in an Indian rural facility: a study of 38 eyes

To report the demographic profile, clinical presentation, and management outcomes of ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) treated with primary topical chemotherapy in a limited resource secondary eye care facility in rural parts of South India.

Retrospective interventional study of 38 eyes of 37 patients with OSSN treated with topical 1% 5-Fluorouracil (5FU), over a period of two years.

The median age at presentation with OSSN was 44 years (mean, 46 years; range 13 to 74 years). Majority (76%) were males. The most common morphological variant was placoid OSSN (18, 47%). Limbus was the most common epicenter (31, 82%). Corneal OSSN was the most initially misdiagnosed variant (n = 3). Of the 38 eyes receiving one week on and 3-weeks off cycles of 5FU regimen, complete tumor resolution was achieved in 36 (95%) eyes. The median number of topical 5FU cycles for tumor resolution was 2 (mean, 2; range, 1 to 4). Over a median follow-up period of 5 months (mean, 6 months; range, 1 to 27 months), tumor recurrence was noted in 3 eyes (8%), of which one case had xeroderma pigmentosum with bilateral multifocal recurrence. Complication rate was 5% (n = 2), which included transient conjunctival hyperemia (n = 1), and bacterial keratitis (n = 1) which resolved with fortified antibiotics.

Primary chemotherapy with topical 1% 5FU is a safe and effective management modality for OSSN at limited resource settings in rural India.