OCULAR SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS ASSOCIATED WITH SURAMIN SODIUM TREATMENT FOR METASTATIC CANCER OF THE PROSTATE

PURPOSE: Therapy with suramin sodium has been associated with photopho bia, iritis, optic atrophy, and vortex keratopathy. We studied the ocu lar findings in patients who underwent treatment with suramin sodium f or metastatic cancer of the prostate. METHODS: In a prospective study, 114 patients who underwent treatment with suramin sodium for cancer o f the prostate had an ophthalmologic examination within two weeks of o nset of treatment and two weeks after termination of therapy. Addition al examinations were performed on patients who developed ocular sympto ms during suramin sodium therapy. RESULTS: Nineteen (16.6%) of 114 pat ients developed ocular symptoms and signs while taking suramin sodium. Thirteen of these patients developed bilateral corneal epithelial who rllike deposits, In ten patients, the corneal deposits were associated with foreign body sensation and lacrimation. Symptoms in all of these patients resolved with topical lubricants. Three patients developed a symptomatic corneal deposits. Seven patients had blurred vision and we re found to have a mean hyperopic shift in refractive error of 1.13 +/ - 0.45 diopters (range, 0.75 to 2.00 diopters) that per sisted through out their treatment course. None of these patients had a decrease in b est corrected visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, ocular sympto ms and signs associated with suramin sodium were common but were not c onsidered a dose-limiting toxicity, Hyperopic shift in refractive erro r is a previously unreported ocular finding in association with surami n sodium therapy.