What conditions are treated with carboplatin?

From the Guidelines

Carboplatin is primarily used to treat ovarian cancer, as well as other types of cancer including lung, head and neck, endometrial, cervical, testicular, bladder, and certain brain tumors. The most recent and highest quality study, published in 2023 1, recommends carboplatin in combination with paclitaxel as the standard first-line chemotherapy treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. This study suggests that carboplatin, when used in combination with paclitaxel, can improve patient outcomes, including progression-free survival and overall survival.

Some key points to consider when using carboplatin include:

• It is often preferred over cisplatin due to its lower toxicity profile, particularly less kidney damage and reduced nausea and vomiting
• It is usually administered intravenously in cycles every 3-4 weeks, with dosing based on kidney function using the Calvert formula
• Common side effects include bone marrow suppression, nausea, fatigue, hair loss, and increased risk of infection
• Patients receiving carboplatin require regular blood tests to monitor for these effects, especially their blood cell counts

In addition to ovarian cancer, carboplatin may also be used to treat other types of cancer, including:

• Testicular cancer, where it may be used as an alternative to radiation therapy in stage I disease 1
• Bladder cancer, where it may be used in combination with other chemotherapy agents, such as gemcitabine and paclitaxel, in patients who are not eligible for cisplatin-based therapy 1

Overall, carboplatin is a valuable treatment option for various types of cancer, and its use should be considered in the context of individual patient needs and disease characteristics.

From the FDA Drug Label

Carboplatin injection is indicated for the initial treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma in established combination with other approved chemotherapeutic agents. Carboplatin injection is indicated for the palliative treatment of patients with ovarian carcinoma recurrent after prior chemotherapy, including patients who have been previously treated with cisplatin Carboplatin treats:

• Advanced ovarian carcinoma as an initial treatment in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents
• Ovarian carcinoma recurrent after prior chemotherapy, including patients previously treated with cisplatin, for palliative treatment 2

From the Research

Carboplatin Treatment

• Carboplatin is used to treat ovarian cancer, often in combination with paclitaxel 3, 4, 5, 6.
• The efficacy and safety of carboplatin in combination with paclitaxel have been compared to single-agent carboplatin, with results showing that the combination is more effective and has a better safety profile 3, 5.
• Carboplatin has been shown to be as active as cisplatin in previously untreated patients with advanced ovarian cancer, but with less toxicity 7.
• The optimal dose and schedule of carboplatin and paclitaxel are still being debated, with ongoing trials investigating weekly vs q3-weeks paclitaxel and the addition of bevacizumab 6.

Benefits and Drawbacks

• Benefits of carboplatin include its ability to cause less nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and nausea and vomiting than cisplatin 7.
• Drawbacks of carboplatin include its dose-limiting myelosuppression, which can be reduced by adjusting the dose intensity 7.
• The combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel can cause hair loss, which can be prevented with measures such as scalp cooling 6.

Patient Considerations

• Vulnerable older patients with ovarian cancer may benefit from a weekly carboplatin-paclitaxel regimen, which has been shown to be as active and better tolerated than the standard every-3-weeks regimen 3, 5.
• Patient tolerance and comorbidities should be taken into account when deciding on the optimal dose and schedule of carboplatin and paclitaxel 6.