Long-term evolution of renal function in patients with ovarian cancer after whole abdominal irradiation with or without preceding cisplatin

Background: The upper limit of the natural decline in creatinine clearance is 1 ml/min/year. To define the loss of renal function, we started a long-t erm assessment of patients with ovarian cancer treated by whole abdominal i rradiation (WAI) with preceding cisplatin chemotherapy (CDDP) and second-lo ok laparotomy (SLL). Patients and methods: We analyzed the creatinine clearance over time of 56 patients treated from 1982 to 1988 for ovarian cancer. Thirty-one of 56 pat ients had received WAI after their initial surgery, and 25 of 56 patients h ad undergone CDDP therapy followed by SLL, and then WAI after their initial surgery. Median follow-up was 99 months (7-156). Twenty of 56 patients acc epted our invitation for additional assessment of tubular function, nine of the 31 patients without CDDP therapy and SLL, and 11 of the 25 patients wi th CDDP followed by SLL and WAI. Ten of twenty patients had received four to six cycles CDDP, 80 mg/m(2)/cyc le, and one patient nine cycles. The median total dose for each kidney was 1450 cGy (480-1690). Results: The mean creatinine clearance decreased from 84 ml/min to 66 ml/mi n. Seventy-six percent of the 25 patients who had undergone CDDP therapy, S LL and WAI had declines of more than 1 ml/min/year, 64% of these patients o f more than 2 ml/min/year. For the 31 patients who had received WAI after t heir initial surgery, the corresponding numbers were 71% and 55%, respectiv ely. The tubular function of the 20 patients who had undergone the addition al investigations was not impaired. Conclusion: The decline in renal function after WAI is more pronounced than in healthy subjects. The treatment with cisplatin and SLL prior to WAI doe s not seem to contribute to this loss of kidney function.