Ocular toxicity of Anandron in patients treated for prostatic cancer

Approximately 65% of patients with prostatic cancer treated by the combination therapy using a gonadorelin (LHRH) agonist or orchidectomy in association with the antiandrogen Anandron complained of a delay in recovering vision after bright illumination (sun, television, bright light). Detailed ophthalmological examination revealed an increase in the photostress recovery time to an average of 9 min, while the upper limit of normal is 1 min 20 s. When treatment was changed from Anandron to the other pure antiandrogen flutamide, the value of the photostress recovery time markedly decreased and the visual symptoms rapidly disappeared. Since uninterrupted administration of the antiandrogen is of the outmost importance for the successful therapy of prostatic cancer, the availability of a compound such as flutamide that has no side effect other than those due to hypoandrogenicity should greatly facilitate compliance by the patients and the success of the treatment.