Early and late hyperferremia during cisplatin chemotherapy

Changes in plasma iron levels were evaluated in 48 neoplastic patients receiving a total of 56 courses of polychemotherapy in which high doses of cisplatin were administered on day 1. Serum iron showed a three-fold mean increase 24 hours after cisplatin infusion, rising from a basal mean value of 78.25 +/- 45.74 micrograms/dl to 242.12 +/- 72.67 micrograms/dl (P less than 0.001). Hyperferremia began to lower after the 3rd day and pretreatment levels were again observed the 10th day. Ferritin increased progressively from a basal mean value of 565.81 +/- 435.18 micrograms/l to 928.73 +/- 665.41 micrograms/l the 7th day (P less than 0.001). Hemolysis and tissutal necrosis were excluded, since red cells, hemoglobin, muscular and hepatic enzymes and indirect bilirubin remained unmodified. Reticulocytes began to lower on the 3rd day and reached the nadir the 7th day: therefore the cisplatin-induced blockage of erythropoiesis, with consequent reduced iron use was maximum the 3rd day--as observed in animals by other Authors--and could not explain the early hyperferremia developing within 24 hours. Consequently hyperferremia seems to consist of two overlapping stages: an early stage by unknown interference of cisplatin on iron-loaded reticulo-endothelial cells, with consequent acute iron emissions into the blood stream; and a later stage by toxic effect of the drug on erythroid precursors with reduced iron uptake by bone marrow.