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

Abstract

Objectives : It is expected that the combined cisplatin and radiation therapy far

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 fun. 1994 to Mar 1997, 10 patients were available for

this study with the 1311owing 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 artier

treatment betiveen 6months to 1 year follow-up without local recurrence.

Results : At 1 year 1311ow-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 symptoms without symptoms and signs of hearing impairment.