One of the more disabling complications of cisplatin or other platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimens is ototoxicity with hearing loss. The risk for hearing loss may be increased if certain clinical conditions are present.
Risk factors for platinum-based chemotherapy associated hearing loss:
(1) high dose regimen
(2) previous cranial irradiation
(3) anemia
(4) low serum protein (which may be a sign of malnutrition)
(5) concurrent administration of other ototoxic drugs (aminoglycosides, others)
(6) concurrent middle ear disease
Factors that may be protective:
(1) infusion of mannitol during chemotherapy (Taudy et al)
(2) infusion of sodium thiosulfate or D-methionine (Blakley et al)
Monitoring of hearing should be conducted in children (Bellman):
(1) after each course of therapy
(2) when cumulative cisplatin dose is >= 330 mg per square meter BSA
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