Which test is used to assess hearing when there is a concern for ototoxicity from cisplatin therapy?

• A. Ophthalmologic examination
• B. Pulmonary function test
• C. Audiogram
• D. ECG

Answer: (C)

The key idea is how to monitor for hearing loss caused by cisplatin: use an audiogram. Ototoxicity from cisplatin damages the cochlea, often starting with high-frequency hearing loss. An audiogram, which uses pure-tone thresholds to measure the faintest sounds a person can hear across frequencies, provides a quantifiable map of hearing ability. Baseline testing before starting therapy and serial audiograms during and after treatment let clinicians detect even small shifts in hearing, which may prompt adjustments to the chemotherapy plan to protect hearing. Because cisplatin’s toxicity affects the auditory system, this test directly screens for that issue.

The other options assess unrelated systems—eye health, lung function, and heart rhythm—so they don’t evaluate hearing and wouldn’t monitor cisplatin-related ototoxicity.