[Cisplatin ototoxicity: the experience of the Institute of Oncology in Bari]

The Authors report their experience, developed in the E.N.T. Unit of the Oncologic Institute of Bari, concerning the ototoxic effect of Diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP). The Study was carried out on 74 patients with advanced cancer of the head and neck, treated according to the polychemotherapeutic scheme called "MBD" in 34 cases and in 40 cases according to the scheme called "Al Sarraf". The otologic evaluation was composed, in all the cases, of a complete series of audio-vestibular investigation, carried out prior to and immediately after every administration chemotherapy and periodically, during a 4 months period after interruption of therapy. Three patients (4%) showed significative acoustical damage, none showed vestibular deficit. Symptoms did not appear beyond the second administration of CDDP, which always followed subjective acouphenic symptomatology. The ototoxic effect of CDDP, resulting in the experience of the Oncologic Institute of Bari, is percentually very low: and seems to be influenced by the single dose, rather than by the total doses and in any case is not preventable by any profilatic measure.