Sensory Neural Hearing Loss after Concurrent Cisplatin and Radiation Therapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology 1998;14(1):15-19.
Published online May 30, 1998.

Young Taek Oh;Joong Hwa Koh;Jin Hyuk Choi;Seung Hee Kang;Mi son Chun

비인강암 환자에서 Cisplatin과 방사선 병합치료시 발생하는 감각신경성 청력손실

오영택;고중화;최진혁;강승희;전미선

Abstract

Objectives: It is expected that the combined cisplatin and radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma produces more sensory neural hearing losses compared to radiation therapy alone. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of sensory neural hearing losses after concurrent cisplatin and radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Materials and Methods: From Jun. 1994 to Mar. 1997, 10 patients were available for this study with the following eligibility criteria: 1) The patients received concurrent cisplatin and radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. 2) There was no pre-existing auditory disease except serous otitis media due to nasopharyngeal carcinoma. 3) They had normal sensorineural hearing function on the pretreatment pure tone audiogram. 4) Pure tone audiograms were performed at least one time after treatment between 6months to 1 year follow-up without local recurrence.
Results
At 1 year follow-up, 3 patients complained of decreased hearing capacity. Sensorineural hearing losses were developed in 15 ears out of 20(75%) and were more frequent and severe in high frequency area on pure tone audiogram.
Conclusion
The concurrent cisplatin and radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma may produce sensorineural hearing losses more frequently compared to historical data of radiation therapy alone and close evaluations with regular audiograms are necessary even in patients without symptoms and signs of hearing impairment.

Key Words: Sensorineural hearing loss, Radiation therapy, Cisplatin, Nasopharyngeal carcinoma