Cisplatin

Cisplatin, cisplatinum, platamin, neoplatin, cismaplat or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP) is a chemotherapy drug. It was the first member of a class of platinum-containing anti-cancer drugs, which now also includes carboplatin and oxaliplatin. These platinum complexes react in vivo, binding to and causing crosslinking of DNA, which ultimately triggers apoptosis (programmed cell death).

It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medications needed in a basic health system.

Medical use

Cisplatin is administered intravenously as short-term infusion in normal saline for treatment of solid malignancies. It is used to treat various types of cancers, including sarcomas, some carcinomas (e.g., small cell lung cancer, and ovarian cancer), lymphomas, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, and germ cell tumors.

Cisplatin is particularly effective against testicular cancer; the cure rate was improved from 10% to 85%.

In addition, cisplatin is used in Auger therapy.