Cisplatin may cause more permanent hearing loss in people with Cockayne syndrome

The chemotherapy drug cisplatin can kill cancer, but it can also cause permanent hearing loss. The drug can kill the sensory cells of the inner ear, a phenomenon that is likely more severe in individuals with Cockayne syndrome, a rare form of dwarfism. The disorder results from mutations in one of two genes involved in repairing DNA damage. Cells can sustain DNA damage from environmental stresses ranging from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation to toxic chemicals such as chemotherapy drugs.