Carboplatin

What is Carboplatin?

• Carboplatin (Paraplatin) is a cisplatin analog used to treat advanced ovarian cancer that has never been treated or has come back after treatment with other anticancer drugs.

Carboplatin-skeletal

Carboplatin 3D ball

What are the uses of this medicine?

Carboplatin (Paraplatin) is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat:

• [[Ovarian cancer] that is advanced. It is used with other chemotherapy as first-line treatment. It is used alone as palliative treatment for disease that has recurred (come back) after earlier chemotherapy.
• Carboplatin is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.

How does this medicine work?

• Carboplatin (kar" boe pla' tin) is a cisplatin analog with a carboxy-cyclobutane moiety instead of the chloride atoms which makes it more stable and perhaps less toxic than cisplatin.
• Carboplatin and cisplatin act as alkylating agents causing cross linking between and within DNA strands, leading to inhibition of DNA, RNA and protein synthesis and the triggering of programmed cell death, mostly in rapidly dividing cells.
• Carboplatin was approved for use in cancer chemotherapy in the United States in 1989.
• It is currently indicated for advanced ovarian carcinoma, but is also used in other solid tumors including lung and head and neck cancer.

Who Should Not Use this medicine ?

This medicine cannot be used in patients:

• are allergic to Paraplatin ® or other platinum-containing products;
• have a weakened blood-forming system (bone marrow depression) or significant bleeding;
• are pregnant, intend to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding a baby.

What drug interactions can this medicine cause?

• The renal effects of nephrotoxic compounds may be potentiated by Paraplatin.

Is this medicine FDA approved?

• Bristol-Myers Squibb gained Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for carboplatin, under the brand name Paraplatin, in March 1989.
• Starting in October 2004, generic versions of the drug became available.

How should this medicine be used?

Recommended dosage: Single Agent Therapy:

• Paraplatin ® injection, as a single agent, has been shown to be effective in patients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma at a dosage of 360 mg/m 2 IV on day 1 every 4 weeks.

Combination Therapy with Cyclophosphamide: In the chemotherapy of advanced ovarian cancer, an effective combination for previously untreated patients consists of:

• Paraplatin ®-300 mg/m 2 IV on day 1 every 4 weeks for 6 cycles (alternatively see FORMULA DOSING).
• Cyclophosphamide-600 mg/m 2 IV on day 1 every 4 weeks for 6 cycles.

Administration:

• Paraplatin ® is given by dripping the medicine slowly and directly into a vein (intravenous infusion) for 15 minutes or longer.
• Your doctor will determine the dose of Paraplatin ® for you based on your weight, height, and kidney function.
• Paraplatin ® may be given alone or with other drugs.
• Treatment is usually repeated every four weeks for a number of cycles.
• Before and after Paraplatin ® treatment, your doctor may give you medication to lessen the nausea and vomiting associated with this cancer treatment.

What are the dosage forms and brand names of this medicine?

This medicine is available in fallowing doasage form:

• As powder or aqueous solution for injection in 50, 150 and 450 mg amounts generically

This medicine is available in fallowing brand namesː

• Paraplatin

What side effects can this medication cause?

The most common side effects of this medicine include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• loss of appetite
• hair loss and numbness
• tingling, burning, or pain in the hands and feet

The most serious side effects of Paraplatin ® are:

• bleeding and reduced blood cells, including reduced red blood cells (anemia) and platelets (needed for proper blood clotting)
• infection
• life-threatening allergic reaction
• kidney and liver problems
• loss of hearing or ringing in the ears

What special precautions should I follow?

• Bone marrow suppression (leukopenia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia) is dose-dependent and is also the dose-limiting toxicity. Peripheral blood counts should be frequently monitored during Paraplatin ® treatment and, when appropriate, until recovery is achieved.
• Anaphylactic-like reactions to carboplatin have been reported and may occur within minutes of Paraplatin ® administration. Epinephrine, corticosteroids, and antihistamines have been employed to alleviate symptoms.
• Paraplatin ® may harm your developing fetus or breastfeeding baby. If you are a woman of childbearing age, you should use birth control to avoid getting pregnant while you are taking Paraplatin ®.
• You should avoid contact with adults and children who have infections, and tell your doctor right away if you show signs of infection such as cough, fever, and/or chills. Also, while you are being treated with Paraplatin ® or after you stop treatment, first check with your doctor before getting any immunizations (vaccinations).
• Avoid contact with adults or children who have received oral polio vaccine since they can pass the polio virus to you.
• Carboplatin therapy is associated with a low rate of transient serum aminotransferase elevations and with rare instances of clinically apparent liver injury.

What to do in case of emergency/overdose?

Symptoms of overdosage may:

• bone marrow suppression
• hepatic toxicity

Treatment of overdosage:

• There is no known antidote for Carboplatin Injection overdosage.
• In the event of an overdose, appropriate supportive treatment should be initiated.

Can this medicine be used in pregnancy?

• Carboplatin may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.
• There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women.

Can this medicine be used in children?

• Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

What are the active and inactive ingredients in this medicine?

Active ingredient:

• carboplatin

Inactive ingredients:

• none

Who manufactures and distributes this medicine?

• Distributed by Hospira, Inc. Lake Forest, IL

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

• Unopened vials of Carboplatin Injection are stable to the date indicated on the package when stored at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted from 15°–30°C (59°–86°F).

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• Dailymed label info on Carboplatin
• FDA Carboplatin

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