eMedicine Specialties > Ophthalmology > Hematologic & Cardiovascular Disorders

Leukemias: Treatment & Medication

Author: Lihteh Wu, MD, Consulting Surgeon, Department of Ophthalmology, Vitreo-Retinal Section, Instituto De Cirugia Ocular, Costa Rica
Coauthor(s): Teodoro Evans, MD, Retina Fellow, Vitreo-Retinal Section, Instituto De Cirugia Ocular, Costa Rica; Joaquin Martinez, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Nacional de Ninos and Clinica Dr. Clorito Picado; Director of Retinal and Vitreous Clinic at Hospital Nacional de Ninos; Consulting Staff in Ultrosonography and Angiography, Clinica Oftalmologica Costarricense; Private Practice, San Rafael de Escazu, San Jose, Costa Rica
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 20, 2007

Treatment

Medical Care

The treatment of leukemia is in constant flux, evolving and changing rapidly over the past few years. Most treatment protocols use systemic chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. The basic strategy is to eliminate all detectable disease by using cytotoxic agents. To attain this goal, 3 phases are typically used, as follows: remission induction phase, consolidation phase, and maintenance therapy phase.

Chemotherapeutic agents are chosen that interfere with cell division. Tumor cells usually divide more rapidly than host cells, making them more vulnerable to the effects of chemotherapy. Primary treatment will be under the direction of a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, and primary care physician. Although a general treatment plan will be outlined, the ophthalmologist does not prescribe or manage such treatment.

  • The initial treatment of ALL uses various combinations of vincristine, prednisone, and L-asparaginase until a complete remission is obtained.
  • Maintenance therapy with mercaptopurine is continued for 2-3 years following remission.
  • Use of intrathecal methotrexate with or without cranial irradiation to cover the CNS varies from facility to facility.
  • Daunorubicin, cytarabine, and thioguanine currently are used to obtain induction and remission of AML.
  • Maintenance therapy for 8 months may lengthen remission. Once relapse has occurred, AML generally is curable only by bone marrow transplantation.
  • Presently, treatment of CLL is palliative.
  • CML is characterized by a leukocytosis greater than 100,000 cells. Emergent treatment with leukopheresis sometimes is necessary when leukostastic complications are present. Otherwise, busulfan or hydroxyurea may control WBC counts. During the chronic phase, treatment is palliative.
  • When CML converts to the blastic phase, approximately one third of cases behave as ALL and respond to treatment with vincristine and prednisone. The remaining two thirds resemble AML but respond poorly to AML therapy.
  • Allogeneic bone marrow transplant is the only curative therapy for CML. However, it carries a high early mortality rate.
  • Leukemic retinopathy usually is not treated directly. As the hematological parameters normalize with systemic treatment, many of the ophthalmic signs resolve. There are reports that leukopheresis for hyperviscosity also may alleviate intraocular manifestations.
  • When definite intraocular leukemic infiltrates fail to respond to systemic chemotherapy, direct radiation therapy is recommended.
  • Relapse, manifested by anterior segment involvement, should be treated by radiation. In certain cases, subconjunctival chemotherapeutic agents have been injected.
  • Optic nerve head infiltration in patients with ALL is an emergency and requires prompt radiation therapy to try to salvage some vision.

Consultations

A multidisciplinary approach is required in the treatment of a leukemic patient. Routine ophthalmic evaluation should be considered at the time of diagnosis because ocular lesions can be asymptomatic.

More on Leukemias

Overview: Leukemias
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Leukemias
Treatment & Medication: Leukemias
Follow-up: Leukemias
Multimedia: Leukemias
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

leukemic retinopathy, acute myelogenous leukemia, AML, acute lymphocytic leukemia, ALL, chronic myelogenous leukemia, CML, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, CLL

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Lihteh Wu, MD, Consulting Surgeon, Department of Ophthalmology, Vitreo-Retinal Section, Instituto De Cirugia Ocular, Costa Rica
Lihteh Wu, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Retina Specialists, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Teodoro Evans, MD, Retina Fellow, Vitreo-Retinal Section, Instituto De Cirugia Ocular, Costa Rica
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Joaquin Martinez, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Nacional de Ninos and Clinica Dr. Clorito Picado; Director of Retinal and Vitreous Clinic at Hospital Nacional de Ninos; Consulting Staff in Ultrosonography and Angiography, Clinica Oftalmologica Costarricense; Private Practice, San Rafael de Escazu, San Jose, Costa Rica
Joaquin Martinez, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Costa Rican Ophthalmology Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Andrew W Lawton, MD, Medical Director of Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, Section of Ophthalmology, Baptist Eye Center, Baptist Health Medical Center
Andrew W Lawton, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, Arkansas Medical Society, and Southern Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Simon K Law, MD, PharmD, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, Jules Stein Eye Institute; Chief of Section of Ophthalmology Surgical Services, Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare Center, West Los Angeles
Simon K Law, MD, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, and Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Brian R Younge, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine
Brian R Younge, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Association, American Ophthalmological Society, and North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Lance L Brown, OD, MD, Ophthalmologist, Affiliated With Freeman Hospital and St John's Hospital, Regional Eye Center, Joplin, Missouri
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Hampton Roy Sr, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Hampton Roy Sr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American College of Surgeons, and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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