title: Dosing done right: a review of common chemotherapy calculations.
abstract: The potential for medication error is great with chemotherapy agents because of their high toxicity profile, small therapeutic index, and numerous dose-limiting adverse effects. The oncology team involved with chemotherapy treatment planning and administration assumes an active role in preventing such events by obtaining and maintaining competency in dose calculations, having knowledge of dose-limiting toxicities, appropriate ordering of drug regimens, and participation in safety verification processes. This article will provide a review of evidence-based formulas and their rationale for use in dosing chemotherapy, case scenarios with practice calculations, and recommendations for safe verification of chemotherapy drug order accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Atlanticare Cancer Care Institute, Egg Harbor, NJ, USA. Michele.Gaguski@atlanticare.org
authors.forename: Michele E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gaguski
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karcheski
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054796:Drug Dosage Calculations; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents