Carboplatin is used on its own or together with other medicines to treat certain cancers of the ovaries and lungs.
This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as decided by your doctor.
Carboplatin injection is to be given intravenously (into the vein) as an infusion. It is delivered directly into the bloodstream via the blood vessel.
Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.
The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the course of treatment depending on your condition and your response to the medication.
Ensure that you keep all appointments with your doctor so that you do not miss any doses. Your doctor also needs to regularly monitor your response to Carboplatin.
If you miss an appointment or miss an injection, alert your doctor or nurse. A replacement appointment or injection should be given as soon as possible.
Do not use Carboplatin if you ever had an allergic reaction (e.g. rashes, breathlessness, swollen eyes) to this medicine or other similar medicines such as cisplatin.
Alert your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- severe myelosuppression (a condition in which the blood cells are low)
- bleeding problems
as Carboplatin may not be suitable for you.
Do not breastfeed while you are being treated with this medicine.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- kidney disease
- shingles (viral infection that causes a painful rash)
- existing or recent chicken pox or recent exposure to chicken pox
Let your doctor know if you are pregnant.
It is important that you do not get pregnant while being treated with Carboplatin. Both men and women must use proven birth control methods during Carboplatin therapy and for at least 6 months after stopping the treatment. You may wish to discuss birth control methods with your doctor or pharmacist.
Be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving this medicine to the elderly. Elderly people may be more sensitive to the side effects.
Why is it important to keep my appointments with the doctor?
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly.
- Routine tests (e.g. complete blood count, electrolyte levels, liver and kidney function, ear examination) may be done while you are being treated with this medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.
- Regular monitoring of signs and symptoms of allergic reactions may also be needed.
Carboplatin may cause any of the following side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, mouth sores, changes in taste, and hair loss.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- rashes, breathlessness, swelling of the face, eyes or mouth
- pain or difficulty in passing urine, change in how much urine is passed, blood in the urine
- yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, dark coloured urine, tiredness, swelling in the legs and ankles
- tingling, numbness and pain in the hands and feet
- ringing in the ears, hearing loss
- loss of vision
This medicine will cause the level of your red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets to drop.
Red blood cells carry oxygen around your body. A fall in the level of red blood cells may make you feel tired and worn out.
White blood cells help your body to fight infections. A fall in the level of your white blood cells may put you at higher risk for infections, such as coughs, colds and flu, which may lead to more serious infections. Avoid crowded places and people who are sick. Alert your doctor if you have a fever, cough, or flu that does not go away.
Platelets help your blood to clot when there is a cut in the skin. A fall in the level of your platelets may put you at risk of bleeding more than usual. Do not take part in activities where you may fall or get injured, such as contact sports. Alert your doctor if you get any unusual bruising (large bruises or several bruises, especially if the bruises appeared on their own) or bleeding that takes a long time to stop (for example, too much bleeding when you floss or brush your teeth).
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking or using any of these medicines:
- warfarin (blood-thinning medicine)
- phenytoin (medicine for epilepsy [fits or seizures])
- certain antibiotics e.g. amikacin, gentamicin, tobramycin
- water pills or medicines for water retention
- other medicines for cancer e.g. paclitaxel
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Carboplatin.
Avoid vaccinations during treatment with this medicine.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements, and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Available products of Carboplatin may vary with its storage requirements. Ask your doctor or pharmacist on how to properly store this medicine.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
As this is a cancer medicine, always return any unused or expired medicine to the clinic, hospital, or pharmacy for disposal. Do not throw it away in the household waste.
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