Cisplatin — properties and clinical application

Chemotherapy is one of the basic methods of cancer treatment, which uses compounds with a broad spectrum of activity. Among the diverse group of cytostatic drugs, platinum derivatives play an important role in cancer therapy, including cisplatin. Cisplatin is a first generation platinum drug approved in medicine in the 1980s. The mechanism of the anti-tumor activity of cisplatin is based on pro-apoptotic and antiproliferative activity. Cisplatin, through the formation of appropriate adducts with DNA, damages the structure of the molecule. Currently, cisplatin is used in the treatment of numerous malignant neoplasms. Despite the high therapeutic efficacy, the drug has many side effects, which may include, among others: ototoxicity, cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. A significant problem in cisplatin therapy is also the development of resistance of cancer cells to the action of this drug. The mechanism of cell platinum resistance is diverse and depends on many factors. Organ toxicity and the development of resistance induced by cisplatin may limit the pharmacological dose of the drug and its therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, studies are still being conducted to assess the therapeutic effect of the combined interaction of cisplatin with other chemotherapeutic agents and compounds with anticancer potential.