Related pages Drug Information Summaries 1 Approval Process for New Cancer Treatments 2 Access to Investigational Drugs 3

This page contains brief information about carboplatin and a collection of links to more information about the use of this drug, related news and research results, and ongoing clinical trials.

US Brand Name(s):		Paraplatin
		Paraplat
FDA Approved:		Yes

Carboplatin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be used with other drugs to treat the following types of cancer:

• Advanced ovarian cancer that has never been treated.
• Ovarian cancer that has recurred six months or more after treatment with platinum -based drugs.
• Non-small cell lung cancer that is locally advanced, cannot be treated with surgery, has metastasized (spread to other parts of the body), or has recurred.

Carboplatin is approved to be used by itself for palliative treatment of ovarian cancer that has recurred (come back) after earlier chemotherapy.

In addition to the uses that have been approved by the FDA, carboplatin is used to treat other types of cancer. The drug continues to be studied in the treatment of many types of cancer.

Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary ⁴ - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.

Clinical Trial Results: Meta-Analysis Suggests Cisplatin Superior to Carboplatin for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) (06/19/2007) ⁵ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Less-Intense Chemotherapy Effective in Children with Intermediate-Risk Neuroblastoma (06/13/2007) ⁶ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Gemcitabine Plus Carboplatin Benefits Women with Recurrent Ovarian Cancer (09/27/2006) ⁷ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Carboplatin May Be Less Toxic Than Radiation for Seminoma (06/07/2004) ⁸ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Docetaxel Plus Carboplatin a Possible Alternative for Ovarian Cancer (11/23/2004) ⁹ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Paclitaxel Plus Platinum Gives Patients with Recurrent Ovarian Cancer More Time (06/25/2003) ¹⁰ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

Clinical Trial Results: Some Survival Benefit from Multidrug Treatment for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) (05/20/2002) ¹¹ - Important clinical trial results for this drug, background information, and how the trial was done.

NCI Issues Clinical Announcement for Preferred Method of Treatment for Advanced Ovarian Cancer: Questions and Answers (01/04/2006) ¹² - Information about the use of this drug to treat cancer.

MedlinePlus Information on Carboplatin ¹³ - A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:

• warnings about this drug,
• what this drug is used for and how it is used,
• what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
• what you should know about this drug before using it,
• other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
• possible side effects.

Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This NLM patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.

Clinical Trials for Carboplatin ¹⁴ - Check for trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry now accepting patients.

Glossary Terms

Cancer that has spread to other places in the body and usually cannot be cured or controlled with treatment.

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.

Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.

Any substance, other than food, that is used to prevent, diagnose, treat or relieve symptoms of a disease or abnormal condition. Also refers to a substance that alters mood or body function, or that can be habit-forming or addictive, especially a narcotic.

An agency in the U.S. federal government whose mission is to protect public health by making sure that food, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements are safe to use and truthfully labeled. The Food and Drug Administration also makes sure that drugs, medical devices, and equipment are safe and effective, and that blood for transfusions and transplant tissue are safe. Also called FDA.

Cancer that has spread from where it started to nearby tissue or lymph nodes.

To spread from one part of the body to another. When cancer cells metastasize and form secondary tumors, the cells in the metastatic tumor are like those in the original (primary) tumor.

A group of lung cancers that are named for the kinds of cells found in the cancer and how the cells look under a microscope. The three main types of non-small cell lung cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common kind of lung cancer.

Cancer that forms in tissues of the ovary (one of a pair of female reproductive glands in which the ova, or eggs, are formed). Most ovarian cancers are either ovarian epithelial carcinomas (cancer that begins in the cells on the surface of the ovary) or malignant germ cell tumors (cancer that begins in egg cells).

Treatment given to relieve the symptoms and reduce the suffering caused by cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Palliative cancer therapies are given together with other cancer treatments, from the time of diagnosis, through treatment, survivorship, recurrent or advanced disease, and at the end of life.

A metal that is an important component of some anticancer drugs, such as cisplatin and carboplatin.

Cancer that has recurred (come back), usually after a period of time during which the cancer could not be detected. The cancer may come back to the same place as the original (primary) tumor or to another place in the body. Also called recurrence.

A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.