Uses
Carboplatin and cisplatin appear to have similar efficacy in the treatment of platinum-responsive ovarian tumors, lung cancers†, and certain head and neck cancers†; carboplatin is less effective than cisplatin in certain testicular cancers.
Because carboplatin and cisplatin have different toxicity profiles, carboplatin may be effective in patients with platinum-responsive tumors who are unable to tolerate cisplatin because of renal impairment, refractory nausea, hearing impairment, or neuropathy; cisplatin may be preferred in patients with decreased bone marrow reserve or high risk of sepsis or those requiring anticoagulation therapy.
Ovarian Cancer
Treatment of ovarian cancer (alone and as combination therapy).
Combination therapy with platinum-containing agent (carboplatin or cisplatin) and paclitaxel† is the preferred regimen for initial treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer; therapy with platinum-containing agent and paclitaxel is superior to therapy with platinum-containing agent and cyclophosphamide. Carboplatin is as effective as but less toxic than cisplatin when used in combination with paclitaxel or cyclophosphamide.
Carboplatin in combination with docetaxel has been used for the first-line treatment of ovarian cancer† and has demonstrated similar efficacy and a different tolerability profile (i.e., more hematologic toxicity but less neurotoxicity) compared with carboplatin in combination with paclitaxel.
Has been used as a single agent in the first-line treatment of advanced ovarian cancer†. Role remains to be established, but some clinicians consider single-agent carboplatin a reasonable option.
Used alone as second-line therapy for palliative treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer in patients with platinum-sensitive disease; nonplatinum-based regimens generally preferred for retreatment of patients with platinum-refractory disease.
Being studied for use in combination regimens for second-line treatment of advanced ovarian epithelial cancer†.
Has been used alone or in combination therapy for adjuvant treatment of early-stage ovarian cancer†. Survival benefit may be limited to patients whose disease is associated with poorer prognosis.
Lung Cancer
Treatment of small cell lung cancer† as a component of combination regimens.
An active agent in non-small cell lung cancer†.
Cervical Cancer
Role in the treatment of cervical cancer† remains to be established. Current evidence supports use of cisplatin in chemotherapy regimens given concurrently with radiation therapy in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer; similar benefit from carboplatin-containing chemotherapy cannot be assumed.
An active agent in the treatment of metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer†. May be considered an alternative to cisplatin, particularly in patients with nephrotoxicity or neurotoxicity caused by advanced cervical tumor who are not candidates for cisplatin therapy.
Head and Neck Cancer
May be useful in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck†.
Wilms’ Tumor
Has shown activity in the management of Wilms’ tumor†.
Brain Tumors
Has been used for palliative treatment of various primary brain tumors†.
Has shown activity in the treatment of progressive or recurrent low-grade gliomas in children†; responses observed in adults with recurrent glioma, including those who had received previous chemotherapy with nitrosoureas.
Has shown activity in the treatment of recurrent medulloblastoma†.
Combination therapy with platinum-containing agent (cisplatin or carboplatin) and etoposide is used for treatment of intracranial germ cell tumors†.
Neuroblastoma
Used (as combination therapy) fortreatment of neuroblastoma†.
Testicular Cancer
Cisplatin-based regimen (i.e., cisplatin/etoposide or cisplatin/etoposide/bleomycin) is more effective than carboplatin-based regimen (i.e., carboplatin/etoposide or carboplatin/etoposide/bleomycin) for initial treatment of good-prognosis metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumor; generally reserve use of carboplatin regimen for patients who do not tolerate or who refuse cisplatin.
Limited data suggest that high-dose carboplatin and etoposide may be effective in some patients with relapsed or refractory germ cell tumors†.
Bladder Cancer
Has been substituted as a less toxic alternative to cisplatin in the treatment of advanced bladder cancer† in some patients receiving combination chemotherapy.
Combination therapy with paclitaxel followed by carboplatin is being studied in patients with advanced bladder cancer, including those with abnormal renal function.
Retinoblastoma
Has been used in combination with etoposide in a limited number of children† with recurrent or progressive retinoblastoma†.
Breast Cancer
Has been used in a limited number of patients with metastatic breast cancer†.
Endometrial Cancer
Being studied in the treatment of advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer†.
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