 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Maureenbe and Jojo,
In the future please start a new Topic if you want to get the maximum feedback and not have to read other comments that don't concern your particular topic.
That said, yes Cisplatin is known to have the potential for causing permanent hearing loss but like so many things associated with this cancer's Tx, it doesn't affect everyone or affect everyone the same way. It's a shame that all MO's don't warn everyone or don't prescribe a pre Tx hearing test so that the damage can be more easily defined, but they don't.
The damage seems to be associated with the "ringing in the ear" symptom so as Eileen said as soon as you think you experience that notify your MO and perhaps he will switch you to Carboplatin which is supposed to be just as effective as Cisplatin but without the side effects. I know what you're going to ask but don't because no one can give you a reasonable answer to that other than Cis has been around for a longer time and therefore is more tested and of course the goal is to kill the cancer so I guess that's why MO's continue to use Cis vs Carbo.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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