Three cases with serum electrolyte disorders associated with anticancer chemotherapy including CDDP are reported.
Case 1 : A 66-year-old male with tongue cancer was treated with CDDP in induction chemotherapy and with antibiotics (β-lactams and vancomycin) for postoperative infection. Renal insufficiency was induced as a drug side effect. At first, hyperkalemia was caused by impairment of the renal function. Then hyperkalemia resulted from increased extraordinary potassium intake by tube feeding during renal regulation.
Case 2 : CDDP was given combined with radiotherapy in a 65-year-old male with tongue cancer. Hyperkalemia occurred as a result of mild renal insufficiency and metabolic acidosis. This metabolic acidosis (ketoacidosis) resulted from increased keto acids following starvation.
Case 3 : Hyponatremia occurred during cancer chemotherapy in a 65-year-old female with lower gingival carcinoma. The diagnosis was CDDP-induced SIADH.
Symptomatic treatment, mainly fluid therapy, improved the above disturbances in our three cases without severe sequelae.