To assess the value of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in estimating renal injury in patients receiving high doses of cisplatin, urinary excretion of ET-1-like immunoreactivity (U-ET-1), beta 2-microglobulin (U-beta 2-MG), and N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) were measured before, 1 week after, and 2 weeks after the administration of cisplatin in eight patients with testicular cancer (mean age, 33.3 years). Levels of U-ET-1/creatinine (Cr) during and 1 week after cisplatin treatment were significantly higher than before cisplatin treatment. There were no differences in U-ET-1/Cr levels during, 1 week after, and 2 weeks after cisplatin treatment. The level of U-beta 2-MG/Cr during cisplatin treatment was significantly higher than levels before, 1 week after, and 2 weeks after treatment. However, there were no differences in U-beta 2-MG/Cr levels before, 1 week after, and 2 weeks after cisplatin treatment. The level of U-NAG/Cr during cisplatin treatment was higher than levels before, 1 week after, and 2 weeks after treatment; U-NAG/Cr during cisplatin treatment was higher than levels before, 1 week after, and 2 weeks after treatment; U-NAG/Cr gradually decreased after cisplatin treatment. Among the three parameters, only U-ET-1/Cr maintained a higher level after cisplatin treatment. The U-beta 2-MG/Cr level returned most rapidly to normal after cisplatin treatment. Although U-ET-1/Cr did not show any significant correlation with U-NAG/Cr (r = 0.282, P = NS), it showed a significant correlation with U-beta 2-MG/Cr (r = 0.454, P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)