Platinum compounds
Binding DNA through platinum to form cross-links that block replication.
Also called platinum agents and platinum-based chemotherapy.
Class card
- Drugs
- Cisplatin and Carboplatin
- Used for
- Testicular cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Non-small cell lung cancer
- Known for
- Kidney damage
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Hearing loss and tinnitus (ototoxicity)
- Name stems
- -platin
- Part of
- alkylating agents
3 cards: the class, and each drug in it.
Mechanism of action
How do platinum compounds work?
Platinum compounds carry a platinum atom instead of alkyl groups, yet act much like alkylating agents. Inside the cell they form reactive platinum complexes that bind DNA, making adducts and cross-links within and between strands. The damaged DNA cannot be copied or read properly, so the cell stops dividing and dies by apoptosis.
The drugs
Platinum compounds with a card
Uses
What are platinum compounds used for?
- Testicular cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Non-small cell lung cancer
Side effects
Side effects of platinum compounds
- Kidney damageKnown forSerious
- Peripheral neuropathyKnown forSerious
- Hearing loss and tinnitus (ototoxicity)Known forSerious
- Nausea and vomiting, severe with cisplatin
- Bone marrow suppressionSerious
- Low magnesium and other salt lossesSerious
- Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxisSerious
- Hair loss
- Secondary leukemiaSerious
- Harm to an unborn babySerious
What the class has in common. Each drug's card has its own, and Known for marks what an exam expects you to know.
Watch for
Cautions
- Hydrate well and check creatinine, magnesium and other electrolytes, above all with cisplatin.
- Avoid adding other kidney- or ear-toxic drugs, such as aminoglycosides.
- Give strong antiemetic cover: cisplatin is highly emetogenic, and vomiting can be delayed.
- Allergy to one platinum drug rules out the others; reactions can come within minutes of an infusion.
Remember them
A way to remember them
NOVEL
- N
- Nephrotoxicity (kidney damage)
- O
- Ototoxicity (hearing loss, tinnitus)
- V
- Vomiting, severe with cisplatin
- E
- Electrolyte loss, especially magnesium
- L
- Limb nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
Five platinum toxicities, all worst with cisplatin; carboplatin causes fewer of them but more marrow suppression.
Written for biofideX
Name stems
-platin means platinum anticancer drug
Cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin carry platinum and cross-link DNA. Cisplatin is known for kidney and nerve damage, carboplatin for bone marrow suppression and allergic reactions.
- Every drug name stem
Don't mix them up
Classes easily confused with these
Sources
Checked against
Written for biofideX in plain words, after checking these references:
- Platinum Compound (NCI Thesaurus)
- Cisplatin for injection: label (DailyMed)
- Carboplatin injection: label (DailyMed)
- Cisplatin (NCI)
- Paclitaxel injection: label (DailyMed)
For learning pharmacology, not for treatment decisions: no doses are given, and a prescriber, pharmacist or the product's own label is the word on any one patient. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.
Cancer chemotherapy
Practice platinum compounds with the other classes in this group: what each drug is, how it works, what it treats and what it's known for.
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