[Nephrotoxicity of cisplatin]

Cis-diamminodichloroplatinum or cisplatin is one of the most widely used antineoplastic agents in oncology, particularly in malignant testicular tumours. The administration of this potentially nephrotoxic drug requires certain precautions in order to avoid renal damage. Nephrotoxicity generally consists of an isolated and transient rise in plasma creatinine, occasionally acute renal failure and rarely end-stage renal failure. In a series of twelve patients (mean age: 26 +/- 8 years) operated for malignant testicular tumour and treated secondarily with a cis-diamminodichloroplatinum based chemotherapy protocol (cumulative doses ranging from 490 to 2,275 mg) and submitted to nephrological follow-up for 56 +/- 20 months after treatment, no cases of immediate or delayed acute renal failure or deterioration in renal function were observed.