Clinical analysis of the effect of intraarterial cytoreductive chemotherapy in the treatment of lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of intraarterial cytoreductive chemotherapy (IACC) as an adjunct to conventional surgery and radiation therapy for lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC).

DESIGN: A retrospective, comparative, interventional case series.

METHODS: setting: Institutional. patient population: Nine consecutive patients with lacrimal gland ACC were treated with IACC, followed by orbital exenteration and chemoradiotherapy. This case series was compared with a series of seven patients treated by conventional local therapies in the same institution. intervention procedure: Clinical records, imaging studies, histologic sections, and archival specimens from all 16 patients were reviewed. Information analyzed included site of disease, histologic characteristics, extent of disease, incidence of locoregional recurrence or distant metastases, and disease-free survival and overall survival time. main outcome measure: The effect of IACC was assessed by the radiographic and histologic response and survival outcome in comparison to a historical cohort of patients managed by conventional local therapies.

RESULTS: The difference between the carcinoma cause-specific death rate of the study group versus conventional treatment was significant (P = .029, log rank test). The cumulative 5-year carcinoma cause-specific death rate in the IACC treated group was 16.7% compared with 57.1% in the conventional treatment group. The cumulative 5-year recurrence rate in the IACC treated group was 23.8% compared with 71.4% in the conventional treatment group.

CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary data suggest that IACC as an integral component of a multimodal treatment strategy is potentially effective in improving local disease control and overall disease-free survival in lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma.