Long term nephrotoxicity of Cisplatinum (CDDP) in man

The prognosis of solid malignant tumors has been largely improved by the use of Platinum compounds and specially of Cisplatin. This agent, both alone and in combination with other antineoplastic drugs has been shown to be effective in treating testicular, ovarian, and urinary bladder carcinomas and tumors of the head and neck. The therapeutic efficacity of this drug increases with increasing dose but in the same time, acute and may be long-term toxicity including nephrotoxicity is also dose-related. Nephrotoxicity has been dramatically reduced when systematic hydration has been given during or sometimes before and during administration of the drug. The different ways of hydration proposed in the literature include IV saline infusion, 2 to 3 liters a day, and less frequently osmotic diuresis with Mannitol or Furosemide (Hayes 1977, Vogl 198, Groth 1986).