Validated LC-MS/MS method for cisplatin quantification in plasma, whole blood, and cervical cancer tissue via diethyldithiocarbamate derivatization: Clinical application in cervical cancer

Honghao Bai & Kwang-Hee Shin et al. · 2025-10-05

The objective of this research was to establish an LC-MS/MS method with high sensitivity and selectivity for the quantification of cisplatin in human plasma, whole blood, and cervical cancer tissue samples. This approach employed diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) as a derivatizing agent for cisplatin, and analyte detection was conducted using the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The method demonstrated lower limits of quantification (LLOQ) of 1 ng/mL for both plasma and tissue, while for whole blood, the LLOQ was determined to be 5 ng/mL. This method demonstrated remarkable linearity (R² >0.98), precision (coefficient of variation <15 %), accuracy (85 %-115 %), and minor matrix effects in all matrices. Stability assessments confirmed the robustness of the method under various conditions, including freeze-thaw cycles, short-term storage, and reinjection. Clinical samples from cervical cancer patients treated with intravenous 40 mg/m² cisplatin over 1 h revealed concentrations from below the LLOQ to 4250 ng/mL in plasma, 55-1673 ng/mL in whole blood, and 197-1613 ng/mL in tissue. The successful application of this method enables precise pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies of cisplatin, facilitating personalized dosing strategies to improve treatment outcomes for cervical cancer patients.
Authors
Honghao Bai, Min-Gyo Seo, Seo-Yeon Choi, Vipada Khaowroongrueng, Yoon-Jee Chae, Ji-Young Jeon, Sun-Young Lee, Min-Gul Kim, Kwang-Hee Shin
Funding

Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea

RS-2023\u201300251397

Ministry of Education

2120240615414

National Research Foundation of Korea