Carboplatin injection

What is carboplatin injection?

CARBOPLATIN (Paraplatin®) is a chemotherapy agent used for treating many types of cancer including bladder, lung, and ovarian cancers. Carboplatin interferes with the growth of rapidly dividing cells, like cancer cells, and eventually causes these cells to die. Carboplatin may be used alone or with other chemotherapy agents or radiation therapy. Generic carboplatin injections are available.

What should my health care professional know before I receive carboplatin?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• active infection

• bleeding problems

• dental disease

• hearing problems

• kidney disease

• loss of feeling, pain or numbness in the hands or feet

• recent radiation therapy

• an unusual or allergic reaction to carboplatin, cisplatin, other chemotherapy, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives

• pregnant or trying to get pregnant

• breast-feeding

How should I use this medicine?

Carboplatin is for injection or infusion into a vein. It is administered in a hospital or clinic setting by a health care professional. You will continue a regular schedule of doses, usually given as one dose every 4 weeks.

Carboplatin may also be given directly into your abdomen. During this procedure, carboplatin is infused into your abdomen and then drained out after 2—4 hours. During this time you may need to change positions frequently to ensure the carboplatin reaches the tumor. This treatment is given every 3—4 weeks.

What if I miss a dose?

It is important not to miss a dose. Notify your prescriber or health care professional if you are unable to keep an appointment.

What drug(s) may interact with carboplatin?

• certain antibiotics (such as amphoteracin B. amikacin, gentamicin, neomycin, streptomycin, tobramycin)

• medicines to treat blood clots, such as "blood thinners" (Coumadin®)

• other chemotherapy agents may increase the side effects seen with carboplatin

• vaccines

Talk to your prescriber or health care professional before taking any of these medicines:

• acetaminophen

• aspirin

• ibuprofen

• ketoprofen

• naproxen

Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including nonprescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.

What should I watch for while taking carboplatin?

Visit your prescriber or health care professional for checks on your progress. You will need to have regular blood checks. The side effects of carboplatin can continue after you finish your treatment; report side effects promptly.

Carboplatin may make you feel generally unwell. This is because carboplatin affects good cells as well as cancer cells. Report any side effects as above, but continue your course of medicine even though you feel ill, unless your prescriber or health care professional tells you to stop.

Carboplatin may decrease your body's ability to fight infections. Call your prescriber or health care professional if you have a fever, chills, sore throat or other symptoms of a cold or flu. Do not treat these symptoms yourself. Try to avoid being around people who are sick. Carboplatin may increase your risk to bruise or bleed. Call your prescriber or health care professional if you notice any unusual bleeding. Be careful not to cut, bruise or injure yourself because you may get an infection and bleed more than usual.

Avoid taking aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol®), ibuprofen (Advil®), naproxen (Aleve®), or ketoprofen (Orudis® KT) products as these may hide a fever, unless instructed to by your prescriber or health care professional.

Call your prescriber or health care professional if you get diarrhea. Do not treat yourself.

Be careful brushing and flossing your teeth or using a toothpick while receiving carboplatin because you may get an infection or bleed more easily. If you have any dental work done, tell your dentist you are received carboplatin.

If you are going to have surgery, tell your prescriber or health care professional that you are receiving carboplatin.

What side effects may I notice from receiving carboplatin?

The side effects you may experience with carboplatin therapy depend upon the dose, other types of chemotherapy or radiation therapy given, and the disease being treated. Not all of these effects occur in all patients. Discuss any concerns or questions with your prescriber or health care professional.

Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:

Rare or uncommon:

• changes in eyesight

• difficulty breathing, wheezing

• hearing loss

• increase or decrease in the amount of urine passed, passing urine more often at night

• pain or difficulty passing urine

• ringing in the ears

• rash or itching

• tingling in fingers and/or toes

Common:

• low blood counts - carboplatin may decrease the number of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. You may be at increased risk for infections and bleeding.

• signs of infection - fever or chills, cough, sore throat, pain or difficulty passing urine

• signs of decreased platelets or bleeding - bruising, pinpoint red spots on the skin, black, tarry stools, blood in the urine

• signs of decreased red blood cells - unusual weakness or tiredness, fainting spells, lightheadedness

• nausea, vomiting

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

• fatigue

• loss of appetite

• loss of hair

• metallic taste

• pain at the injection site

Where can I keep my medicine?

This medicine is given in a hospital or clinic. You will not have to take this medicine at home.