Bilateral Hearing Loss During Vincristine Therapy: A Case Report

Abstract

Vincristine sulfate is a chemotherapeutic agent used in different cancer therapies. It is also the first choice of treatment for peripheral T-cell lymphoma with cyclophosphamide and adriamycin. Sudden hearing loss during vincristine therapy is a very rare event. This is a case of a 16-year old girl who developed sudden bilateral hearing loss related to vincristine therapy.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: clinical features, diagnosis, prevention and treatment strategies

“…Mononeuropathies (femoral, peroneal), cranial nerve lesions, diplopia, vocal cord paralysis, facial nerve palsy and sensoneural hearing loss have been described in individual case reports. Autonomic changes can occur [47]. Reducing dose level and frequency may ameliorate the development of neuropathy.…”

Intravascular lymphomatosis presenting with sudden hearing loss

“…While frequently attributed to an autoimmune disorder, data to support this etiology are questionable [3]. Typically, sudden hearing loss has no identiable etiology [1]; however, it has been reported with malignancy secondary to carcinomatous or lymphomatous meningitis [4], hyperviscosity from chronic myeloid leukemia [5], as a paraneoplastic process [6], and as a result of antineoplastic therapy with vincristine [7]. Sudden hearing loss has also been reported with IVL, but in a patient with coexisting cytomegalovirus encephalitis [8], which, by itself, may cause the hearing loss [9].…”

Neurolymphomatosis Mimicking Chemotherapy-Induced Ototoxicity

“…The patient was referred to our office for consideration for cochlear implantation after presumed chemotherapyinduced deafness. Consistent with this diagnosis, the patient had been treated with vincristine, which is associated with ototoxicity (7). Additionally, the time course, occurring weeks after completion of treatment, and relative symmetry of the hearing loss were consistent with this diagnosis.…”

“…Audiometry revealed progression of her hearing loss to bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss at all frequencies. An MRI scan of the brain with contrast demonstrated thickening and contrast enhancement of bilateral cranial nerves 5,7,8,9,10 and leptomeningeal enhancement at the inferior vermis, consistent with recurrence of lymphoma (Fig. 1).…”