Low incidence of ototoxicity with continuous infusion of cisplatin in the treatment of pediatric germ cell tumors

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2006 Feb;28(2):91-4. doi: 10.1097/01.mph.0000199586.98926.8e.

Abstract

Cisplatin is an important chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of many pediatric malignancies, but its use is limited in part by ototoxicity. The authors' institution has been administering standard-dose cisplatin by continuous infusion rather than bolus administration in germ cell tumors. The authors retrospectively reviewed 39 patients with germ cell tumors requiring chemotherapy over the past 20 years and recorded data including demographics, cumulative cisplatin dose, degree of ototoxicity (by the Brock grading system), and disease outcome. The median age was 9.4 years and the majority of children (48.7%) had endodermal sinus tumor. Twenty-one children received 400 mg/m of cisplatin or more. One child had evidence of significant ototoxicity at last follow-up (6.64 years after diagnosis). This patient received a total cumulative dose of 500 mg/m of cisplatin. Eighty-two percent of children achieved clinical remission of their disease. The authors conclude that continuous administration of cisplatin is associated with minimal ototoxicity while maintaining good tumoricidal efficacy, and further studies using this regimen are warranted.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents / blood
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Audiometry, Pure-Tone
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cisplatin / administration & dosage*
  • Cisplatin / adverse effects
  • Cisplatin / blood
  • Cisplatin / pharmacokinetics
  • Endodermal Sinus Tumor / drug therapy
  • Female
  • Fluid Therapy
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Half-Life
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / chemically induced
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infusions, Intravenous
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Male
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / complications
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / drug therapy*
  • Protein Binding
  • Remission Induction
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cisplatin