INVISIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: HEARING AT RISK IN CANCER THERAPY

Abstract

Chemotherapy, especially with platinum-derived agents, is recognized for its ototoxic effects, and can cause irreversible damage to auditory and vestibular function. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical and sociodemographic profile of cancer patients and to investigate the prevalence of hearing complaints associated with chemotherapy treatment. This is an observational, analytical, cross-sectional cohort study, carried out in a public oncology referral hospital. The sample consisted of patients over 18 years of age and with a confirmed medical diagnosis of cancer, excluding individuals with metabolic diseases, presence of metastases or previous oncological treatments. Data collection was conducted using a structured questionnaire, administered orally, containing 22 multiple-choice questions about personal identification, cancer history, and auditory manifestations. The study included 96 individuals, with a mean age of 54.14 years; Most of them were women with breast cancer (31.5%), living in the capital (42.2%) and without formal schooling (51.8%). The analysis revealed a high prevalence of auditory symptoms after the start of chemotherapy: tinnitus (78.1%), hearing difficulty (71.9%), otalgia (75%), dizziness (68.8%) and ear pruritus (56.3%). Carboplatin was used in 31.6% of the cases, and 44.6% of the participants were in the course of treatment. It is concluded that there is a high incidence of auditory complaints among patients undergoing chemotherapy, which highlights the need for systematic audiological monitoring, given the possibility of early manifestation of ototoxicity even before confirmation by conventional audiological tests. The role of the audiologist is essential in clinical surveillance and prevention of hearing problems in these patients.