Acute renal failure in a patient receiving treatment with suramin.

Suramin has demonstrated modest activity against prostate cancer and is being investigated in clinical trials. We describe a patient with metastatic prostate cancer who developed nonoliguric renal failure during treatment with suramin. Other potential causes of renal failure were not present in our patient and his renal function gradually recovered with the cessation of suramin treatment. Acute renal failure should be recognized as a potential complication of suramin treatment.