Therapeutic Activity

Cisplatin is widely prescribed for a variety of tumors (germ-cell, advanced bladder carcinoma, adrenal cortex carcinoma, breast cancer, head and neck carcinoma, lung carcinoma). It is administered intravenously for one to 5 days in a row, followed by a rest period of 2-3 weeks.
There are serious side effects associated with cisplatin, notably renal toxicity, emesis, neurotoxicity, bone marrow suppression and hearing loss. Damage to the kidneys can be minimized through the administration of continuous IV hydration along with diuretic drugs before and following the infusion of cisplatin. Similarly, several effective antiemetic drugs protect the patient from the worst of nausea and vomiting. Testing of patient renal function, blood and hearing is recommended before each cycle of therapy.
Cisplatin is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb as platinol. (And the last time I looked, their Web site featured a prominent person cured of testicular cancer using their products.)