Nezam El-Tayebat Fact CheckA scientific assessment of the “نظام الطيبات” nutrition system
Choose country
Choose language: English

True Scientifically well supported Certainty of evidence: high provisional C-CHM-05

Cisplatin chemotherapy causes permanent, dose-dependent hearing loss and tinnitus.

In short: This claim is correct: cisplatin causes dose-dependent, usually permanent hearing loss and tinnitus in a large share of patients; the same trials show cisplatin-based treatment cures most of these patients, and hearing loss can be reduced.
Conclusion: Cisplatin ototoxicity is real and dose-dependent.
  1. Original statement
  2. Scientific assessment
  3. Scientific evidence in detail
  4. In plain language
  5. Studies on this claim
  6. Regional context
  7. What applies in my country?
  8. References

Original statement

فقدان سمع وطنين دائم من السيسبلاتين

not verbatim – paraphrase. Translation by the project; the Arabic wording is authoritative.

Translation

Cisplatin chemotherapy causes permanent, dose-dependent hearing loss and tinnitus.

Origin

Source status
Archive editors
Attribution
Archive editors (rule page summary/narrative)
Origin
https://eltayebat.com/rule/chemo-radiation/
Attribution uncertainty
Written by archive operators; not attributed to Elawady.
Claimed mechanism

Cochlear hair-cell damage

Claimed health effect

Hearing loss, tinnitus

Population concerned

Cisplatin-treated patients

Geographic restriction by Elawady

none found

Scientific assessment

True – The statement is supported by robust evidence.

Certainty of evidence: high – Further research is very unlikely to change the assessment.

1. What was claimed?

Permanent cisplatin ototoxicity; 18% severe-to-profound hearing loss.

2. What is demonstrably correct?

Each 100 mg/m2 cumulative cisplatin worsened hearing by 3.2 dB; 18% had severe-to-profound loss; 40% tinnitus (A-CHM-13). Ototoxicity is a recognised late effect (A-CHM-14).

3. What is wrong or exaggerated?

The archive's Arabic headline adds 'high rates even after a single dose', which the abstract does not show (cumulative doses were 200-800 mg/m2). The same review reports 95% 10-year relative survival for testicular cancer (A-CHM-14), which the archive does not mention.

4. What remains unclear?

Otoprotection strategies were not reviewed.

5. Which studies support it?

A-CHM-13, A-CHM-14.

6. Which studies contradict it?

None on existence.

7. What applies to Germany and Europe?

Audiological follow-up after cisplatin is recommended.

8. What is known about Egypt?

No data reviewed.

9. What practical conclusion is appropriate?

Hearing checks during and after cisplatin; avoid noise and other ototoxic drugs.

Assessment details

Rationale for certainty of evidence

Clear audiometric dose-response in a large survivor cohort, consistent with clinical reviews; the Arabic headline's 'even after a single dose' is not supported by the abstract.

Source quality

Correctly cited.

Regional transferability

High.

Individual exceptions

Hypertension and noise worsen hearing.

Regional scope of the claim
general (biological/medical)
Last reviewed
26 October 2026 provisional

Scientific evidence in detail

Scientifically well supported – The claim agrees with consistent, high-quality evidence.

Research question: Does cisplatin cause permanent, dose-dependent hearing loss and tinnitus, and how often?

Research question in detail (PECO)
Population
Children and adults treated with cisplatin
Intervention or exposure
Cumulative cisplatin dose
Comparison
Lower dose; otoprotection
Geographic scope
universal biology
Outcomes
  • Hearing threshold
  • Hearing loss grade
  • Tinnitus

Study results as reported by the authors. Our assessment follows below.

What speaks for the claim?

What speaks against the claim?

No high-quality evidence against the claim was found.

What does the overall evidence say?

Editorial assessment based on the studies above – not itself a study result.

Which position is better supported?

Cisplatin ototoxicity is real, common, dose-dependent and largely permanent; it can be reduced (sodium thiosulfate in children).

Why some studies weigh more

Audiometry-based studies and an RCT.

Is a causal relationship established? Yes, established Dose-response; RCT shows modifiable mechanism.

Remaining uncertainty

Otoprotection in adults.

Justified conclusion

True.

Does this depend on the country?
General biological effects
Universal.
Eating habits
Not relevant.
Origin of the food
Not relevant.
Contaminants
Not relevant.
National production conditions
Not relevant.
Legal rules
Not relevant.
Actual monitoring data
No monitoring data relevant.

A regional difference that changes the conclusion is not supported by robust data.

Statistical re-check
  • Recompute RR, CI, ARR, NNT from counts – RR 0.52 (0.33-0.81) reproduced exactly; ARR 30.3%; NNT 3.3 recalculated
  • Dose translation – about 9.6 dB at 300 mg/m2 (linear model) recalculated
Certainty of the overall evidence (GRADE, simplified)
Main outcome
Cisplatin-induced hearing loss
Starting level
high (randomised trials)
Result
high

Simplified assessment by a single reviewer, following the GRADE approach; not a formal GRADE panel. GRADE rates the body of evidence for one outcome, not individual studies.

Search strategy

Documented literature searches for this review (search strings in the original database syntax).

DatabaseDateSearchLooking forHitsIncluded
Europe PMC26 October 2026(TITLE:"ototoxicity" OR TITLE:"hearing loss") AND TITLE:"cisplatin" AND (TITLE:"meta-analysis" OR TITLE:"systematic review" OR JOURNAL:"Cochrane Database Syst Rev") AND PUB_YEAR:[2015 TO 2026]both directions13
Europe PMC26 October 2026TITLE:"Sodium Thiosulfate for Protection from Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss"supporting evidence1

Open questions

None material.

How deeply was this checked?

3 linked studies: 1 checked in full text (1 of them with a structured risk-of-bias assessment), 2 on the basis of the abstract, 0 bibliographically only. No formal assessment with two independent reviewers and no independent human expert review has taken place yet.

Last scientific review: 26 October 2026

History of the verdict
  1. 25 October 2026 · Phase 1 · Initial assessment: True (high)
  2. 26 October 2026 · Phase 4 (systematic evidence review) · Re-examined with extended evidence; verdict unchanged: True (high)
    RCT data confirm frequency and permanence; unchanged.
    New sources: I-CHM-113

In plain language

Cisplatin, a key drug that cures most testicular cancers, can damage hearing permanently. The more cisplatin, the more hearing loss. About one in five survivors in one study had severe hearing loss. Hearing should be checked, and the benefit of cure must be weighed with the oncologist.

Studies on this claim

Studies supporting the claim (3)

  • Cisplatin chemotherapy causes dose-dependent permanent hearing loss

    Frisina RD et al.. J Clin Oncol 2016 · PMID 27354478 · DOI 10.1200/JCO.2016.66.8822
    Cross-sectional studycited by the Tayebat archiveabstract checked★ key study

    Almost 1 in 5 testicular-cancer survivors had severe-to-profound hearing loss; 40% had tinnitus.

    Dose-dependent hearing loss

    Does the study support the specific claim? Yes · Methodological quality: moderate · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Measure hearing after cisplatin.

    How was the study done?

    Audiometry in survivors.

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    488 men.

    What was actually found?

    3.2 dB per 100 mg/m2.

    How large was the observed effect?

    18% severe-profound loss.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Hearing checks after cisplatin.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Cross-sectional.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Supports.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    High.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    That cisplatin should be avoided in curable testicular cancer.

    Scientific details →

  • Testicular cancer survivors face late effects but almost all survive

    Fung C et al.. Adv Urol 2018 · PMID 29670654 · DOI 10.1155/2018/8671832
    Narrative reviewcited by the Tayebat archivefull text, structured risk-of-bias assessment

    10-year relative survival is 95%; heart disease and second cancers are the main serious late effects.

    Ototoxicity listed

    Does the study support the specific claim? Partly · Methodological quality: low · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Review late effects.

    How was the study done?

    Narrative review.

    What was actually found?

    Multiple late effects.

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Long-term check-ups and healthy lifestyle.

    What are the study's limitations?

    Narrative review without systematic search or quality appraisal; much evidence from older treatment eras.

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Mixed.

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    High.

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Quantitative risks.

    Scientific details →

  • Protecting children's hearing during cisplatin treatment

    Brock PR et al.. N Engl J Med 2018 · PMID 29924955 · DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa1801109
    Randomised controlled trialindependent cross-checkabstract checked★ key study

    Hearing loss fell from 63% to 33% with sodium thiosulfate, and survival stayed above 90%.

    Cisplatin caused hearing loss in 63% of children; the authors describe it as irreversible. Preventable in part.

    Does the study support the specific claim? Yes · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim

    Original publication · Scientific details

    Study explained simply
    What did the researchers want to find out?

    Prevent cisplatin hearing loss

    How was the study done?

    Randomised trial

    How many people, animals or samples were studied?

    109 children with liver cancer

    What was actually found?

    Half as much hearing loss

    How large was the observed effect?

    RR 0.52; NNT about 3

    What do the results mean in everyday life?

    Hearing damage is common but can be reduced, while the cure rate stays high

    What are the study's limitations?

    Small, children only

    What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?

    Supports the harm claim and shows mitigation

    Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?

    High

    What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?

    Does not show cisplatin should be avoided

    Scientific details →

Studies contradicting or limiting the claim (0)

No studies in this group.

Studies with mixed or unclear results (0)

No studies in this group.

Regional context

Germany / EU

Audiological follow-up after cisplatin is recommended.

Egypt

No data reviewed.

What applies in my country?

General scientific assessment

True Cisplatin ototoxicity is real and dose-dependent.

This statement concerns biological or medical relationships. The scientific assessment above applies regardless of the country; country-specific food data do not change it.

References

  1. Comprehensive Audiometric Analysis of Hearing Impairment and Tinnitus After Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy in Survivors of Adult-Onset Cancer.. Frisina RD et al.. J Clin Oncol 2016 · PMID 27354478 · DOI 10.1200/JCO.2016.66.8822
  2. Toxicities Associated with Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy in Long-Term Testicular Cancer Survivors.. Fung C et al.. Adv Urol 2018 · PMID 29670654 · DOI 10.1155/2018/8671832
  3. Sodium Thiosulfate for Protection from Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss.. Brock PR et al.. N Engl J Med 2018 · PMID 29924955 · DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa1801109

← Back to overview