Objective: To study the proliferating status of pterygium and the drug's influence on it.
Method: Fifty four patients with pterygium were randomly assigned into three groups: Before the surgical excision of the pterygium, group 1 (18 cases) had received no drug, group 2 (16 cases) received local dexamethasone treatment, and group 3 (20 cases), local homoharringtonine and dexamethasone treatment. The immunohistochemical study on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was performed on the surgical specimens of the pterygium.
Result: The PCNA positive rate was (11.53 +/- 3.62)% in the untreated group, (10.28 +/- 4.18)% in the dexamethasone group (P > 0.05), and (5.59 +/- 3.82)% in the homoharringtonine and dexamethasone group (P < 0.01). The PCNA positive rate was higher in the younger patients (< 60 years) with progressive type of the disease than that in the elder patients (>or= 60 years) with quiet type.
Conclusions: There are cell proliferation and PCNA expression in pterygium. The homoharringtonine and dexamethasone local injection before the excision of pterygium can effectively decrease the PCNA expression and recurrence rate of pterygium. Local injection of dexamethasone before surgical excision has no influence on the PCNA expression of pterygium.