First described by the Italian chemist Michele Peyrone in 1845, cisplatin is an alkylating agent that contains the metal platinum.
Its full name is cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II).
Cisplatin is used to treat head and neck cancer as well as testicular, ovarian, bladder, esophagus, stomach, and lung cancers.
Its major side effects are nausea and vomiting, electrolyte abnormalities, bone marrow suppression, and damage to the kidneys, ears, eyes, and liver.
Cisplatin is not gendered; the prefix “cis-” comes from the Latin meaning “on this side,” as opposed to “trans-” which means “on the other side of” since both chlorines in cisplatin are located on the same side, as shown below.
In the KEVLARx clinical trial, patients are randomized to receive cisplatin and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with or without lead EpicentRx small molecule, RRx-001 (nibrozetone).
The main endpoint in KEVLARx is the incidence of severe oral mucositis, which, hopefully, RRx-001 (nibrozetone) prevents or reduces.
