The late effects of cis-platinum on renal function

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Oncology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Germ cell tumors are effectively treated with bleomycin, etoposide, and cis-platinum (BEP) chemotherapy.
• Long-term renal damage from cis-platinum chemotherapy requires further investigation, especially with new non-nephrotoxic analogues.
• Assessing the impact of BEP on renal function is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the long-term renal damage in patients treated with BEP chemotherapy.
• To evaluate the changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) following BEP treatment.
• To understand the recovery patterns of renal function after chemotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 22 patients treated with BEP chemotherapy.
• Study duration: 8-60 months post-chemotherapy.
• Measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) before and after chemotherapy.

Main Results:

• In 17 patients without pre-chemotherapy renal impairment, mean GFR decreased from 132 ml/min to 103 ml/min at late follow-up.
• A consistent pattern of initial GFR decline during chemotherapy was observed.
• No consistent evidence of late recovery or further deterioration of GFR was found, with significant individual variability.

Conclusions:

• BEP chemotherapy is associated with significant long-term reduction in glomerular filtration rate.
• Renal function impairment following BEP chemotherapy appears to stabilize without consistent recovery or progression.
• Individual patient responses to BEP chemotherapy regarding renal function vary considerably.