Inhibition of intraocular tumor growth by topical application of the angiostatic steroid anecortave acetate

PURPOSE. This study examined the effect of an angiostatic agent on the grow th of a highly vascularized intraocular tumor. METHODS. A murine uveal melanoma cell line (99E1) was transplanted intracam erally into athymic nude BALB/c mice. Mice were treated topically three tim es per dal beginning on the day of tumor transplantation and continuing thr ough day 28. Groups included (a) 1% anecortave acetate, (b) vehicle control . or (c) no treatment. Turner growth was scored clinically according to the volume of anterior chamber occupied by tumor. Intraocular tumor weights we re determined on days 10, 14, 21, and 28. The effect of the test agents on turner cell proliferation was examined in vitro by [H-3]thymidine incorpora tion. RESULTS. Tumors grew progressively in untreated mice and mice treated with the vehicle: tumors filled the entire eve by day 20 and frequently perforat ed the globe by day 21. By contrast, tumors treated with anecortave acetate grew significantly slower (P < 0.025) and did not perforate the eye. On da ys 21 and 28 the net tumor weight of the AL-3789-treated animals was 40% to 30% of controls (P < 0.05). Tumor inhibition was presumably due to the ang iostatic properties of anecortave acetate because the compound did not affe ct tumor cell proliferation in vitro. CONCLUSIONS. The topical ocular administration of anecortave acetate restri cted the growth of a highly vascularized angiogenic intraocular tumor.