Reason Behind Chemotherapeutic Drug-Induced Hearing Damage Uncovered

Influence of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, on hearing aid has been explained by a team of researchers from European medical university. The effect of cisplatin is been studied over oxaliplatin.

Scientists at a leading European medical university have found out why chemotherapy using cisplatin often lead to hearing problems, but a treatment with oxaliplatin rarely does, despite both drugs being platinum compounds.

A research team led by Dr. Victoria Hellberg, of Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, measured the amount of cisplatin and oxaliplatin that reached the cochlea in guinea pigs following intravenous dosing of each drug.

Chemotherapy - History, Principles, Aim, Types, Side Effcts, Pros & Cons
'Chemo' means medicine or 'drug', 'therapy' means 'treatment'. Chemotherapy refers to the use of cytotoxic drugs in the treatment of cancer.

The researchers observed that the total platinum concentration in the cochlea was more than five-fold higher with cisplatin than with oxaliplatin following intravenous injection.

They said that the perilymphatic drug concentration was also higher in the cisplatin-treated animals than in those exposed to oxaliplatin.

"The differences in cochlear kinetics and cellular uptake that we found in the hearing end organ are sufficient to explain the difference in ototoxicity (drug-induced hearing damage) between cisplatin and oxaliplatin," the authors conclude.

About Chemotherapy Drugs
Chemotherapy drugs perform like ‘magic bullets’ to destroy cancer cells in the body.

The study has been reported in the Journal of National Cancer Institute.

Source-ANI
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Cisplatin

This medication is a platinum-based chemotherapy agent, prescribed for ovarian cancer, bladder cancer and metastatic testicular tumors either alone or with other medications.

Oxaliplatin

This medication is an antineoplastic agent, prescribed for colorectal cancer either alone or with other medications.