Cisplatin

Cisplatin is a platinum-based chemotherapy drug that forms DNA crosslinks, disrupting replication and transcription. It treats several cancers, including testicular, ovarian, bladder, and lung cancers.

DNA crosslink: A covalent bond linking two sites within or between DNA strands. Cisplatin forms these lesions, which obstruct DNA replication and transcription.
Testicular cancer: A group of cancers arising in the testicles, most commonly from germ cells. Cisplatin-based combination therapy can cure many patients, including those with metastatic disease.
Barnett Rosenberg: An American biophysicist whose research helped establish cisplatin as an anticancer drug. Rosenberg led the experiments that connected platinum compounds with inhibited cell division.
Carboplatin: A platinum-based chemotherapy drug that forms DNA adducts and is generally less nephrotoxic than cisplatin. It often substitutes for cisplatin when kidney toxicity or tolerability is a concern.
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: Nerve damage caused by chemotherapy that can produce numbness, tingling, or pain. Cisplatin can cause persistent sensory nerve injury that limits cumulative dosing.
Nucleotide excision repair: A DNA repair pathway that removes bulky, helix-distorting lesions. This pathway can remove cisplatin adducts and thereby reduce drug effectiveness.
Ovarian cancer: Cancer arising in the ovaries, often diagnosed after it has spread within the abdomen. Cisplatin has been used in ovarian cancer regimens, though carboplatin is often preferred.
Electric-field experiment: A 1960s experiment investigating how electric fields affect bacterial cell division. Unexpected filamentous bacterial growth led Rosenberg’s group to investigate platinum compounds.
Oxaliplatin: A platinum chemotherapy drug used especially in colorectal cancer regimens. Its distinct chemical structure and toxicity profile distinguish it from cisplatin.
Ototoxicity: Damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve caused by a drug or other exposure. Cisplatin can cause hearing loss and tinnitus, especially at higher cumulative doses.

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