Evaluation by somatosensory evoked potentials of the neurotoxicity of cisplatin alone or in combination with glutathione

Abstract

The use of high doses of cisplatin (DDP) in the treatment of different solid tumors is often prevented by the onset of a disabling sensory neuropathy. In an attempt to minimize DDP-induced neurotoxicity different schedules of DDP administration have been tested. Moreover, during the past few years some putative neuroprotective drugs have been reported as reducing DDP neurotoxicity. In this prospective, randomized study we evaluated in a series of 33 patients affected by relapsing ovarian cancer the effect on the sensory pathway of a non-conventional schedule of DDP administration as monochemiotherapy or in combination with one of the neuroprotective drugs (i.e. glutathione). The results of the neurophysiologic examinations performed before and immediately after chemotherapy suggest that these schedules besides being safe and effective in the treatment of the ovarian cancer, have an extremely low peripheral neurotoxicity.