Carboplatin

What is the most important information I should know about carboplatin?

Carboplatin should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents.

Serious side effects have been reported with the use of carboplatin including: allergic reactions (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); kidney damage (little or no urine production, blood in the urine); hearing loss or ringing in the ears; decreased bone marrow function and blood problems (extreme fatigue; easy bruising or bleeding; black, bloody or tarry stools; or fever, chills, or signs of infection); severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite; and others. Talk to your doctor about the possible side effects from treatment with carboplatin.

What is carboplatin?

Carboplatin is an antineoplastic medication. Carboplatin interferes with the growth of cancer cells and slows their growth and spread in the body.

Carboplatin is used to treat ovarian cancer and many other types of cancer.

Carboplatin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using carboplatin?

Do not use carboplatin without first talking to your doctor if you have

• kidney disease;
• a bleeding problem;
• poor bone marrow function;
• hearing impairment; or
• an allergy to platinum, platinum-containing products, or mannitol.

The use of carboplatin may be dangerous if you have any of the conditions listed above.

Carboplatin is in the FDA pregnancy category D. This means that carboplatin is known to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use carboplatin without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. Discuss with your doctor the appropriate use of birth control during treatment with carboplatin if necessary.

It is not known whether carboplatin passes into breast milk. Breast-feeding should be avoided during treatment with carboplatin.

How should I use carboplatin?

Carboplatin should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents.

Your doctor will determine the correct amount and frequency of treatment with carboplatin depending upon the type of cancer being treated and other factors. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns regarding the treatment schedule.

Adequate hydration is important during treatment with carboplatin. Your doctor may prescribe the administration of intravenous fluids and/or recommend additional fluid intake by mouth during treatment.

Your doctor will probably want you to have regularly scheduled blood tests and other medical evaluations during treatment with carboplatin to monitor progress and side effects.

Your healthcare provider will store carboplatin as directed by the manufacturer. If you are storing carboplatin at home, follow the directions provided by your healthcare provider.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Contact your doctor if you miss a dose of carboplatin.

What happens if I overdose?

If for any reason an overdose of carboplatin is suspected, seek emergency medical attention or contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Symptoms of a carboplatin overdose tend to be similar to side effects caused by the medication, although often more severe.

What should I avoid while using carboplatin?

Carboplatin can lower the activity of your immune system making you susceptible to infections. Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses and do not receive vaccines that contain live strains of a virus (e.g., live oral polio vaccine) during treatment with carboplatin. In addition, avoid contact with individuals who have recently been vaccinated with a live vaccine. There is a chance that the virus can be passed on to you.

What are the possible side effects of carboplatin?

If you experience any of the following serious side effects from carboplatin, contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical attention:

• an allergic reaction (including difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
• kidney damage (little or no urine production, blood in the urine);
• decreased bone marrow function and blood problems (extreme fatigue; easy bruising or bleeding; black, bloody or tarry stools; or fever, chills, or signs of infection);
• severe nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite; or
• blurred vision, altered color perception, temporary blindness, and other visual problems.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue taking carboplatin and talk to your doctor if you experience:

• hearing loss or ringing in the ears;
• numbness or tingling;
• weakness;
• mild to moderate nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite; or
• hair loss.

Side effect other than those listed here have also been reported. Discuss with your doctor any side effect that occurs during treatment with carboplatin.

What other drugs will affect carboplatin?

Do not receive "live" vaccines during treatment with carboplatin. Administration of a live vaccine may be dangerous during treatment with carboplatin.

Other medications may interact with carboplatin. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products, during treatment with carboplatin.

Where can I get more information?

Your healthcare provider may have additional information about carboplatin that you may read.

What does my medication look like?

Carboplatin is available with a prescription under the brand name Paraplatin. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2003 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 3.02. Revision date: 2/13/04.