Protecting the Kidney's Proximal Tubules From Platinum-Based Chemotherapy Toxicity

Patients with cancer who receive platinum-based chemotherapy are at increased risk of kidney injury caused by these drugs. This form of toxicity can lead to treatment delays, dose reductions, or permanent discontinuation of chemotherapy, all of which can negatively impact cancer outcomes and increase patient morbidity. Despite the clinical significance, there are currently no effective strategies to prevent platinum-induced kidney damage. Existing preventive measures-such as hydration, mannitol use, and magnesium supplementation-are limited and not always effective. This clinical trial investigates whether a type of medication known as a Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, specifically dapagliflozin, can protect the kidneys from damage during platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with solid tumors. Researchers believe that blocking SGLT2 in the kidney may reduce toxicity in the proximal tubules-the area most affected by platinum drugs. The primary goal of this study is to compare the levels of a specific urinary biomarker of kidney injury (called KIM-1) 72 hours after chemotherapy, between patients who receive dapagliflozin and those who receive a placebo. Lower levels of this biomarker may indicate that dapagliflozin is helping protect the kidneys. Secondary goals include comparing additional urinary biomarkers of kidney damage and function-such as EGF (epidermal growth factor), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (uNAG), albumin (AlbU), and β2-microglobulin (uβ2-m)-at 72 hours and 7 days after chemotherapy. The study will also assess: The percentage of patients who develop acute kidney injury, Changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (a measure of kidney function), Electrolyte abnormalities (sodium, magnesium, phosphorus), And any adverse events associated with dapagliflozin use. As exploratory objectives, the trial will also evaluate cancer treatment response between groups (using RECIST 1.1 criteria) and the overall safety and tolerability of dapagliflozin compared to placebo. This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, meaning that participants will be randomly assigned to receive either dapagliflozin or a placebo, and neither the patients nor the study team will know who receives which treatment until the study ends. The central hypothesis is that dapagliflozin will reduce urinary biomarkers of kidney injury by at least 50% compared to placebo, offering a potential protective strategy against platinum-induced nephrotoxicity without interfering with cancer treatment.

Sex

All

Minimum age

18 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* Signed informed consent form
* Diagnosis of a solid tumor requiring a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen (cisplatin or carboplatin)
* Expected survival \> 4 months
* ECOG performance status 0-2

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of nephrectomy
* History of kidney transplant
* Concurrent use of known nephrotoxic drugs (e.g., aminoglycosides, amphotericin B, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, methotrexate)
* Type 1 diabetes mellitus
* Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (HbA1c \> 8% or fasting glucose \> 200 mg/dL in the past month)
* Active glomerulopathy
* Prior use of SGLT2 inhibitors or current indication for their use
* eGFR \< 20 ml/min/1.73 m²
* Active urinary tract infection
* Unresolved obstructive uropathy
* Participation in another clinical trial
* History of recurrent genitourinary infections

• DERIVEDMathavan A, Mathavan A, Shah CV. Beneficial Effects of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors in Cisplatin Nephrotoxicity: A Mechanistic Review. Kidney360. 2026 May 1;7(5):1150-1159. doi: 10.34067/KID.0000001194. Epub 2026 Mar 19. PMID 41854743