Ototoxicity in Cancer Patients on Cisplatin Therapy Attending Basrah Oncology Centre: A Cohort Study

  Background: Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent that is used extensively for the treatment of a broad spectrum of tumors. However, progressive irreversible side effects of Cisplatin, including ototoxicity, have been reported. Methods: A cohort study was implemented from 1 April to 30 August 2015 to study the association between Cisplatin chemotherapy and sensory-neural hearing loss as the major and most important sign of ototoxicity. The cohort group included cancer patients treated with Cisplatin, while patients on Carboplatin were the control group. Cisplatin and Carboplatin belong to alkylating platinum chemotherapy drugs, which are used to treat various malignant solid tumors. Data collection was done through a questionnaire, including information related to sociodemographic characteristics and current and past medical history. Hearing loss was assessed using pure tone audiometry at the time of starting chemotherapy and one month later. Results: The total number of patients was 50, with male to female ratio 1:1 and a mean age of 49.7±14.7 (range 18–80 years): 27 patients were on Cisplatin with a mean age of 50.3±13.5 and 23 patients were on Carboplatin chemotherapy with a mean age of 51.9±15.1 with no significant difference in age (P=0.695). A highly significant association between Cisplatin use and sensory-neural hearing loss (RR, 5.13; P <0.001) was noted. No significant association was found between hearing loss and sociodemographic characteristics or other clinical conditions. Conclusions: Ototoxicity represents a significant clinical sequel of Cisplatin chemotherapy in patients with cancer. A future study using a larger sample size aiming at the evaluation and prevention of Cisplatin induced ototoxicity is recommended.