Hepatoblastoma, cisplatin, and ototoxicity: Good news on deaf ears

Abstract

Young infants with hepatoblastoma now have an excellent chance of cure, but many will be left with significant cisplatin‐related hearing loss, which may impair their language and social development and may affect later learning with a lifetime of hearing loss. A report from the Children's Oncology Group of a randomized trial of amifostine for the prevention of platinum‐related toxicity in infants with hepatoblastoma demonstrated that amifostine has no benefit in reducing cisplatin ototoxicity. Several new agents, such as sodium thiosulfate, currently are entering clinical trials as otoprotectants; however, as the goal for some childhood malignancies shifts from disease cure to enhancing the ..