Carboplatin is a platinum-containing antineoplastic agent widely used in the treatment of solid tumors, including ovarian, lung, head and neck, and other cancers. It works by forming cross-links within and between DNA strands, which interferes with DNA replication and transcription, ultimately leading to cancer cell death.
Compared with earlier platinum agents such as cisplatin, carboplatin has a more favorable toxicity profile, with reduced kidney toxicity, gastrointestinal side effects, and neurotoxicity, though it is commonly associated with bone marrow suppression, particularly thrombocytopenia. Carboplatin is administered intravenously and dosing is typically calculated using the Calvert formula to achieve a target area under the curve (AUC), allowing dosing to be adjusted based on renal function.
Carboplatin is frequently used alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents as part of standardized oncology treatment regimens.