The lack of long-term effect of Cisplatin based combination chemotherapy on serum cholesterol for treatment of testicular cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Cisplatin based combination therapy is curative in most patients with advanced testicular cancer. Previous reports have suggested that hypercholesterolemia is a common complication in this patient group. We performed a cross-sectional study to assess further the relationship of cisplatin based chemotherapy and serum cholesterol in long-term survivors of testicular cancer.


METHODS
Fasting lipid profiles were obtained from 106 men previously treated for testicular cancer, of whom 34 had received cisplatin based combination chemotherapy and 72 were chemotherapy naive.


RESULTS
Mean total cholesterol in the chemotherapy and nonchemotherapy groups was 5.50 +/- 0.20 and 5.36 +/- 0.13 mmol./l., respectively (p = 0.55). Mean high density lipoprotein cholesterol in the chemotherapy and nonchemotherapy groups was 1.09 +/- 0.04 and 1.09 +/- 0.03 mmol./l., (p = 0.94), while mean low density lipoprotein cholesterol was 3.49 +/- 0.17 and 3.40 +/- 0.11 mmol./l. (p = 0.67) respectively. The mean total-to-high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio was 5.26 +/- 0.27 in the chemotherapy group and 5.12 +/- 0.16 in the nonchemotherapy group (p = 0.67). Body mass index was not significantly different in the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Administering cisplatin based chemotherapy was unrelated to lipid profiles in long-term survivors of testicular cancer. Chemotherapy treated and chemotherapy naive patients had mean cholesterol levels in the borderline elevated range and body mass index in the overweight range. These potentially reversible cardiovascular risk factors have considerable importance in the overall testicular cancer population.
Fenton
David W
DW
British Columbia Cancer Agency, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Verma
Sunil
S
Venner
Peter
P
Sawhney
Ravinder
R
Mackey
John R
JR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D002784:Cholesterol; D002945:Cisplatin