Cisplatin ototoxicity in gynecologic cancer patients. A preliminary report

The ototoxicity associated with long-term cisplatin therapy in gynecologic cancer patients was investigated. Twenty-three of 31 patients developed hearing loss and 21 patients reported the onset of tinnitus. The hearing loss was bilateral, cochlear, and permanent. The tinnitus was transient and not predictive of change in hearing level. The likelihood of developing hearing loss appeared to be greatest in patients older than 40 years and in patients with preexisting hearing loss. The amount of change did not appear to be related to the degree of preexisting hearing loss.