Treatment and clinical manifesta- tions of primary intraocular lymphoma

Overview

Primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) is a subset of primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphomas, in which tumour cells invade ocular tissues, such as the retina, the optic nerve and the vitreous. The clinical picture often resembles intraocular inflammation and thus this disease is part of so-called masquerading syndromes. Intraocular lymphoma can affect the eye only or disseminate to other tissues in the body, preferentially to the CNS. For diagnosis, cytological detection of tumour cells of the vitreous or cerebrospinal fluid is necessary. Therapy depends on the dissemination of the disease. Systemic chemotherapy and radiotherapy is used when systemic disease is confirmed, the treatment of isolated eye involvement is still controversial. Treatment options in isolated ocular lymphoma include orbital radiotherapy and/or intravitreal application of methotrexate in a non-toxic dose. This intervention can sometimes help to gain control over this potentially lethal disease.

Key words:
primary ocular lymphoma – chemotherapy – methotrexate.