Ocular complications of adjuvant interferon therapy for malignant melanoma: a review

Background and objective. In dermatology, interferon Alfa 2 is used in adjuvant therapy of melanoma (stage IIa/b) as well as in treatment of cutaneous lymphoma or melanoma (stage III or higher). In the past 2 years, several case reports have described interferon-induced ocular side effects, including sudden loss of vision and ischemic retinopathy. We wondered if incidence and prognosis of ocular complications were elevated in patients receiving an adjuvant treatment of melanoma with interferons. Patients/Methods. We analyzed 1334 reports of adverse effects of interferons, which had been spontaneously reported in Germany since 1990. Results. 8.4% of all reported adverse effects of interferons were ocular. More than the half of these patients developed significant visual loss including retinal ischemia. Conclusions. These data underscore the importance to inform patients concerning ocular adverse effects and emphasize the need to monitor the retina during adjuvant interferon therapy.