Hearing loss and tinnitus in survivors with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.

The comparisons were made after treatment at the study visit, so they cannot show that hearing loss and tinnitus caused the worse symptoms or that they developed after chemotherapy. Hearing loss and tinnitus were classified from two self-report questions, not audiometric testing, and no pretreatment hearing assessment was done, so age, noise exposure, or other causes cannot be ruled out. Only survivors who had received platinum and/or taxane chemotherapy were included, and only four had head and neck cancer, so the findings may not apply to other chemotherapy drugs or head and neck survivors. The groups differed in age, income, comorbidities, and pain, so worse outcomes may not be due to hearing loss and tinnitus alone. Balance was assessed with self-report questions, the timed get up and go test, and the Fullerton Advanced Balance test, not detailed vestibular testing, so sensory and vestibular contributions cannot be separated.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. No funding source is reported in the supplied text.

Do not conclude that chemotherapy caused the hearing loss and tinnitus or that reducing these symptoms will improve balance, pain, mood, or quality of life. The study grouped survivors after treatment using two self-report questions, had no pretreatment hearing assessment, and did not test any intervention, so age, noise exposure, comorbidities, or other factors cannot be ruled out.