Thrombocytopenia associated with second-line carboplatin-based chemotherapy for ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cavity cancers.
OBJECTIVE
There are limited data available in the oncology literature regarding the risk of thrombocytopenia associated with carboplatin-based second-line treatment of ovarian cancer, outside the setting of patients participating in clinical trials.


METHODS
To examine this clinically-relevant issue, we conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of women with ovarian cancer treated in the Gynecologic Cancer Program of the Cleveland Clinic from 1994 through November 2003, who received >2 second-line carboplatin-based regimens.


RESULTS
A total of 176 second-line carboplatin-based programs were delivered to the 152 patients (median age 61 years; range 39-87 years) identified through this review. A total of ten (7%) patients experienced >grade 2 thrombocytopenia, with only four (3%) patients developing platelet count nadirs <50.0 x 10(9)/l. No patient required discontinuation of platinum-based therapy due to the development of thrombocytopenia.


CONCLUSIONS
Second-line carboplatin-based chemotherapy of ovarian cancer is associated with a low incidence of serious thrombocytopenia, if a strategy of selecting modest initial dose levels, and instituting rapid reductions in dose with the development of significant bone marrow suppression, is employed.
Markman
Maurie
M
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, 77030, USA. mmarkman@mdanderson.org
Markman
Jon
J
Webster
Kenneth
K
Zanotti
Kristine
K
Kulp
Barbara
B
Peterson
Gertrude
G
Belinson
Jerome
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005185:Fallopian Tube Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy
D016190:Carboplatin