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Children treated with platinum-based therapy for cancer are at risk of hearing loss resulting from ototoxicity. However, the prevalence and risk factors involved are not well established.
To investigate, researchers reviewed data from 13 cohort studies involving 2,837 patients who underwent a hearing test following platinum-based therapy for childhood cancer.
The data showed that the prevalence of hearing loss varied widely between studies – from 0% to 90% — and several did not provide a definition of hearing loss. Only two studies looked at potential risk factors using multivariable analysis.
As a result, the authors say they were unable to draw any firm conclusions and, until high-quality research is available, clinicians should continue to counsel patients about the risk of hearing loss and screen early for ototoxicity[1]
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References
[1] van As JW, van den Berg H & van Dalen EC. Platinum-induced hearing loss after treatment for childhood cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Review 2016 Aug 3;(8):CD010181. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010181.pub2
