title: Histopathologic findings of eyes enucleated after treatment with chemosurgery for retinoblastoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intra-arterial chemotherapy (chemosurgery) for the treatment of retinoblastoma has been performed more than 1600 times (more than 1400 times in Japan and 200 times in New York) over the past 20 years.Despite this treatment's success some eyes cannot be saved and require enucleation. Here we report the histopathologic findings of the remaining intraocular tumor of eyes that were enucleated following treatment that included chemosurgery in New York City.
  
  
  METHODS
  Independent histopathologic review of the enucleated eyes was correlated with the clinical findings that prompted enucleation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between May 1, 2006 and April 30, 2009, 56 eyes received chemosurgery at our institution, and 10 of these were enucleated subsequently. All were Reese Ellsworth Group 5 at enucleation. Of the 21 eyes that were treated with chemosurgery as the primary treatment, 1 (5%) was enucleated subsequently; its histopathology revealed residual non-necrotic, non-calcified tumor. Of the 34 eyes treated with chemosurgery after other treatments, 9 (24%) were enucleated, and 5 of these eyes contained non-calcified, non-necrotic tumor. None was enucleated for complications of chemosurgery. All patients were alive and free of metastatic disease as of September 2009.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant number of eyes with advanced intraocular retinoblastoma avoided enucleation as a result of chemosurgery. The rate of eyes that were enucleated was higher when chemosurgery was the secondary rather than the primary treatment. Of the eight eyes enucleated for progressive disease six had non-necrotic, non-calcified tumor cells.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Graeber
authors.forename: Y Pierre
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Gobin
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Marr
authors.forename: Ira J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Dunkel
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Brodie
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bornfeld
authors.forename: Devron H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Char
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Folberg
authors.forename: Saskia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Imhof
authors.forename: Amy Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jesse L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Saleh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Mesfer
authors.forename: Annette C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Abramson