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Published on: February 6, 2015
Assessment of the protective effects of amifostine against cisplatin-induced toxicity
Abdulmohsen E Hussain1, Brian W Blakley, Marta Nicolas
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Objective:
The goals of this study were to determine whether the toxicity of cisplatin, a chemotherapeutic alkylating agent, could be reduced by the use of amifostine and to determine whether amifostine alone could cause ototoxicity.
Study Design:
Prospective, animal study.
Methods:
Auditory brainstem response click threshold, latencies, and blood work were used to measure ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and myelotoxicity before and 4 weeks after treatment. Groups of guinea pigs received either cisplatin alone (30 mg/kg), amifostine (1000 mg/kg), cisplatin plus amifostine (1000 mg/kg), or no agent.
Results:
Amifostine reduced the hearing loss caused by cisplatin for many animals. Amifostine partially protected against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity and renal toxicity. We did not find evidence for myelotoxicity owing to cisplatin in this sample.
Conclusion:
Amifostine may have a role in reducing toxicity or permitting larger doses of cisplatin to be given, but toxicity can still be significant even with protection.
