Your child needs to take the medicine called cisplatin (say: SIS-pla-tin). This information sheet explains what cisplatin does, how to give it, and what side effects or problems your child may have when they take this medicine.
What is cisplatin?
Cisplatin is a medicine that interferes with the growth of cancer cells.
You may hear cisplatin called by its brand name, Platinol or Platinol-AQ. Cisplatin comes in an injection form.
Before giving cisplatin to your child
- Tell your doctor if your child has ever reacted badly to cisplatin, carboplatin, or any other medication, dyes, preservatives, or colouring agents.
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if your child has any of the following conditions. Precautions may need to be taken with this medicine if your child has:
- infection or recent exposure to infection (for example chickenpox)
- hearing problems
- kidney problems
How should you give your child cisplatin?
Cisplatin is a clear liquid that a nurse will give by needle into your child's vein (intravenously or IV). Cisplatin will be given in the hospital clinic or on a nursing unit.
What are the possible side effects of cisplatin?
Your child may have some of these side effects while they take cisplatin. Check with your child's doctor if your child continues to have any of these side effects, and they do not go away, or they bother your child:
- nausea (upset stomach) and vomiting (throwing up)
- sores in mouth or on the lips
- loose stools
- change in the way food tastes
Call your child's doctor during office hours if child has any of these side effects:
- joint pain
- loss of balance
- ringing in the ears
- changes in hearing
- swelling of the feet or lower legs
- loss of reflexes
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- muscle cramps or tremors (muscle shakiness)
- numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes
Most of the following side effects are not common, but they may be a sign of a serious problem. Call your child's doctor right away or take your child to Emergency if your child has any of these side effects:
- pain or redness at place of injection
- dizziness or faintness during or shortly after the injection
- fast heartbeat during or shortly after the injection
- swelling of face during or shortly after the injection
- wheezing or difficulty breathing
- black, tarry stools
- blood in urine or stools
- fever or chills
- cough or hoarseness
- lower back or side pain
- pinpoint red spots on skin
- painful or difficult urination
- decrease in the amount of urine being made
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- sudden appearance of a severe headache, changes in eyesight, slurred speech, or trouble in walking or moving part of the body
- chest pain
- seizures or loss of consciousness
What safety measures should you take when your child is using cisplatin?
If cisplatin leaks out of the vein through which it is being given, it can cause irritation or damage. Tell the nurse right away if you or your child notice redness, pain, or swelling at the place of injection.
Cisplatin is very likely to cause stomach upset (nausea) and throwing up (vomiting). This can last for up to 5 to 7 days after getting the cisplatin. Your child should receive medicine before and after cisplatin to help with upset stomach and throwing up.
After your child has cisplatin, your doctor may want your child to drink plenty of fluids so that your child will pass more urine. This will help prevent kidney problems and keep the kidneys working well.
Cisplatin can cause hearing damage. Your child will be scheduled for regular hearing tests called audiograms.
Cisplatin may cause sores in the mouth. Rinse your child's mouth with a mouthwash made from baking soda to help keep it clean. Your nurse or pharmacist can review this with you. Avoid store-bought mouthwash, as it may sting and cause dry mouth.
Cisplatin can lower the number of white blood cells in the blood temporarily, which increases your child's chances of getting an infection. Your child can take the following precautions to prevent infections, especially when the blood count is low:
- Avoid people with infections, such as a cold or the "flu".
- Avoid places that are very crowded with large groups of people.
- Be careful when brushing or flossing your child's teeth. Your doctor, nurse or dentist may suggest different ways to clean your child's mouth and teeth.
- You/your child shouldn't touch your child's eyes or inside their nose without washing you/your child's hands first.
- Your child should not receive a permanent tattoo or any kind of body piercing.
- Your child's nurse will review with you what to do when your child has a fever.
Your child should not receive any immunizations (vaccines) without your child's doctor's approval. Your child or anyone else in your household should not get oral polio vaccine while your child is being treated for cancer. Tell your child's doctor if anyone in your household has recently received oral polio vaccine. Your child should avoid contact with anyone who has recently received this vaccine. Other live vaccines that your child should not get include measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and chickenpox vaccine.
Cisplatin can lower the number of platelets in the blood, which increases your child's risk of bleeding. You can take the following precautions:
- Be careful not to cut your child when using a razor, fingernail scissors, or toenail clippers.
- Be careful when shaving or waxing.
- Your child should avoid contact sports where bruising or injury could occur.
- Before your child has surgery, including dental surgery, inform the doctor or dentist that your child is taking cisplatin.
There is a chance that cisplatin may cause birth defects if it is taken at the time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy. If your child is sexually active, it is recommended that they use some kind of birth control while receiving cisplatin. Tell your doctor right away if your child may be pregnant.
After receiving cisplatin your child may not be able to have children or have more difficulty having children. Your child's doctor will discuss this in more detail with you/your child.
Check with your child's doctor or pharmacist before giving your child any other medicines (prescription, non-prescription, herbal, or natural products).
What other important information should you know about cisplatin?
- Keep a list of all medications your child is on and show the list to the doctor or pharmacist.
- Do not share your child's medicine with others and do not give anyone else's medicine to your child.
- Do not keep any medicines that are out of date. Check with your pharmacist about the best way to throw away outdated or leftover medicines.
Keep cisplatin out of your child’s sight and reach and locked up in a safe place. If your child takes too much cisplatin, call your local Poison Information Centre at one of these numbers. These calls are free.
- Call 1-844 POISON-X, or 1-844-764-7669, from anywhere in Canada except Quebec.
- Call 1-800-463-5060 if you live in Quebec.