The effect of radiotherapy on hearing functions in cancer patients receiving whole brain radiotherapy

Depending on the use of cisplatin, carboplatin and cytotoxic-like agents in patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. Although it is a known fact that hearing loss occurs, we observed the effect on the hearing values of the patients due to radiotherapy in patients who did not receive chemotherapy and received whole brain radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to examine how much hearing is affected before and after radiotherapy in cancer patients receiving brain radiotherapy. We conducted hearing assessments of the participants before and after the start of radiotherapy treatment after they received 3 doses (therapy). The research was carried out with a total of 25 participants (50 ears), 13 men and 12 women, aged 30-72 years, who received brain radiotherapy. These findings were first compared in general and then among themselves. There is a significant difference in the comparison of airway measurement values before and after radiotherapy as they are found in both the right ear and the left ear (p<0.05). In the right ear, the airway mean after radiotherapy (30.68) was higher than the mean before radiotherapy (30.28). It was found that the airway average in the left ear after radiotherapy (30.76) was higher than the average before radiotherapy (28.16). Differences in airway measurement values before and after radiotherapy are clearly seen. The increase in the values after radiotherapy is remarkable. There is a significant difference in the comparison of bone conduction measurement values before and after radiotherapy as they are found in both the right ear and the left ear (p<0.05). In the right ear, the mean bone conduction rate after radiotherapy (26.52) was higher than the mean before radiotherapy (25.04). It is seen that the mean bone conduction rate (23.24) in the left ear after radiotherapy is higher than the mean before radiotherapy (22.56). Differences in the comparison of bone conduction measurement values before and after radiotherapy are clearly seen. The increases in the values after radiotherapy were found to be significant. There is a significant difference in the comparison of speech acquisition thresholds before and after radiotherapy as they are found in both the right and left ears (p<0.05). The mean speech acquisition threshold (32.2) after radiotherapy in the right ear was found to be higher than the mean before radiotherapy (31.0). It is seen that the mean of speech acquisition threshold (31.6) after radiotherapy in the left ear is higher than the mean before radiotherapy (30.0). There is a significant difference in the comparison of speech perception percentages before and after radiotherapy since it is found in the right ear (p<0.05). In the left ear (p>0.05), there is no significant difference. The mean percentage of speech perception in the right ear before radiotherapy (84.7) was higher than the mean before radiotherapy (83.36). It is seen that the average percentage of speech perception in the left ear after radiotherapy (85.28) is close to the average before radiotherapy (86,080). Keywords: Radiotherapy, Brain cancer, Brain radiotherapy, Hearing loss