Carboplatin (Systemic)

Brand Names : Paraplatin, Paraplatin-AQ

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For carboplatin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to carboplatin, cisplatin, or any other platinum-containing substance.

Pregnancy - There is a chance that this medicine may cause birth defects if either the male or female is taking it at the time of conception or if it is taken during pregnancy. Carboplatin causes toxic or harmful effects and birth defects in rats. In addition, many cancer medicines may cause sterility that could be permanent. Although sterility has not been reported with this medicine, the possibility should be kept in mind.

Be sure that you have discussed these possible effects with your doctor before receiving this medicine. Before receiving carboplatin, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant. It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are receiving carboplatin. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving carboplatin.

Breast-feeding - Because carboplatin may cause serious side effects, breast-feeding generally is not recommended while you are receiving this medicine.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients and there is no specific information comparing use of carboplatin in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Some side effects of carboplatin (especially blood problems or numbness or tingling in fingers or toes) may be more likely to occur in the elderly.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When receiving carboplatin it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Colchicine or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir)
• If you have ever been treated with radiation or cancer medicines - Carboplatin may increase the effects of these medicines or radiation therapy on the blood

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of carboplatin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Chickenpox (including recent exposure) or
• Herpes zoster (shingles) - Risk of severe disease affecting other parts of the body

• Hearing problems - May be worsened by carboplatin

• Infection - Carboplatin decreases your body's ability to fight infection

• Kidney disease - Effects may be increased because of slower removal from the body