J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2015 Nov;56(11):1653-1660. 10.3341/jkos.2015.56.11.1653.

Long-Term Outcomes after Cryotherapy for Conjunctival Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphomas

• Lee SE
• Kim KH

• KMID: 2214170
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2015.56.11.1653

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate long-term outcomes after cryotherapy for conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas.
METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed 11 eyes of 8 patients who underwent cryotherapy with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of conjunctival MALT lymphoma between January 2006 and December 2010 and were followed up for at least a year.
RESULTS
The mean patient age was 36.8 years and the average follow-up was 4.1 years. Complete remission was achieved in 3 patients (4 eyes) and recurrence occurred in 5 patients (7 eyes) after the first cryotherapy. After the third cryotherapy, complete remission was achieved in 2 patients (2 eyes) and recurrence occurred in 3 patients (5 eyes). Therefore, 3 patients (5 eyes) underwent radiotherapy and finally achieved complete remission. After cryotherapy, significant complications were not observed except mild symblepharon in 4 patients (6 eyes).
CONCLUSIONS
Cryotherapy, although having a higher recurrence rate than radiotherapy, is a simple treatment modality with fewer complications for patients. In the conjunctival MALT lymphoma patients who cannot undergo radiotherapy, cryotherapy should be considered as an alternative treatment modality.

Keyword

Conjunctiva; Cryotherapy; Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma

MeSH Terms

Conjunctiva
Cryotherapy*
Diagnosis
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Lymphoid Tissue
Lymphoma
Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone*
Radiotherapy
Recurrence
Retrospective Studies

Figure

• 

  Figure 1. Carbon dioxide cryotherapy with cryoprobe. Treating the conjunctiva until the ice ball becomes 1.5 times the diame-ter of the cryoprobe.

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  Figure 2. Case 2. (A, B) The left eye shows salmon-patched lesion at the lower forniceal and upper bulbar conjunctiva. (C, D) The left eye shows the regression of conjunctival MALT lymphoma and mild symblepharon 13 months after third cryotherapy. MALT = mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue.

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  Figure 3. Case 3. (A) The left eye shows pinkish bulging mass at the lower fornix. (B) Photograph a week after mass excision. (C) The left eye shows the regression of conjunctival MALT lymphoma 12 months after cryotherapy. MALT = mucosa-associated lym-phoid tissue.

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  Figure 4. Case 6. (A, B) The left eye shows salmon patch appearance at the lower forniceal and upper bulbar conjunctiva and caruncle. (C, D) The left eye shows the regression of conjunctival MALT lymphoma 15 months after cryotherapy. MALT = muco-sa-associated lymphoid tissue.

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  Figure 5. Case 8. (A) The left eye shows salmon-patched lesion at the lower forniceal conjunctiva and caruncle. (B) The left eye shows recurred lesion 7 months after cryotherapy.

Reference

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