An interdisciplinary study led by researchers at the University of South Florida and Indiana University has uncovered significant findings on the long-term effects of one of the most common forms of chemotherapy on cancer survivors. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Oncology , the study tracked a cohort of testicular cancer survivors who received cisplatin-based chemotherapy for an average of 14 years, revealing that 78% experience significant difficulties in everyday listening situations, negatively impacting their quality of life. This collaborative research is the first to measure real-world listening challenges and hearing loss progression in cancer survivors over a long period of time.
It's important that we understand the real-world effects of patients' sensory problems and if we can understand that, then we can develop better therapeutic strategies and preventive measures to improve the long-term quality of life for cancer survivors." Robert Frisina, distinguished university professor and chair of the USF Department of Medical Engineering Cisplatin is commonly used in chemotherapy treatments for a variety of cancers, including bladder, lung, neck and testicular. It is administered intravenously and affects various parts of the body.
However, the ears are particularly vulnerable as they have little ability to filter out the drug, causing it to become trapped. This leads to inflammation and the destruction of sensory cells that are critical for.