Pharmacology · Class
Platinum compounds !
Cancer drugs built around a platinum atom that bind DNA and cross-link it, so tumour cells can no longer copy or read their genes.
Updated 2026-11-01
What they are
Cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin: intravenous cytotoxics that form platinum–DNA adducts. They are a backbone of treatment for testicular, ovarian, lung, bladder, head and neck and colorectal cancers.
Mechanism of action
Inside the cell the leaving groups (chloride, cyclobutane-dicarboxylate or oxalate) are replaced by water, giving a reactive, positively charged platinum complex. It binds the N7 atom of guanines and forms intrastrand and interstrand cross-links. The adducts block replication and transcription and trigger apoptosis. Oxaliplatin's bulkier adducts do not depend on mismatch repair, which helps explain its activity in colorectal cancer.
Target: DNA (N7 of guanine)
Drugs in this class
- CisplatinA platinum drug that cross-links DNA. Key in testicular, ovarian and bladder cancer; known for kidney damage, hearing…DNA (N7 of adjacent guanines)
- CarboplatinA gentler cousin of cisplatin: the same DNA cross-links with far less kidney damage and vomiting, but more bone-marrow…DNA (N7 of guanine)
- OxaliplatinA platinum drug for colorectal cancer, given with fluorouracil and folinic acid. Cold can trigger tingling in the…DNA (adjacent guanines)
Others in the class
- satraplatin
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Why is a chloride-rich (saline) infusion used around cisplatin?
High chloride keeps cisplatin in its stable, unreactive form in the urine, which reduces damage to the kidney tubules.
Which platinum drug is limited mainly by thrombocytopenia rather than by kidney damage?
Carboplatin.
A patient on a colorectal cancer regimen feels throat tightness and tingling when drinking something cold. Which drug is responsible?
Oxaliplatin: its acute neuropathy is triggered or worsened by cold.
Educational content on how drugs work; not a prescribing guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.
Sources: DailyMed - CISPLATIN injection (DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2025); DailyMed - CARBOPLATIN injection, solution (DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2025); DailyMed - OXALIPLATIN injection, solution, concentrate (DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2026); Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 14th ed., ch. 70 (McGraw Hill, 2023).
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.