Physicians administer this intravenous medication primarily in the treatment of ovarian cancer, although the Mayo Clinic reports that the drug may have other uses at a doctor's discretion. These may include treating lymphatic cancer, bladder cancer, skin cancer and a variety of other severe illnesses. As an alkylating agent, carboplatin works to prevent cancer cell growth, causing these mutated cells to die.
Cancer
The biggest drawbacks of using carboplatin to treat cancer may not occur for years following treatment. The use of this medication may later induce several kinds of cancer, with the most likely form affecting the blood system with leukemia. The Mayo Clinic therefore recommends to have a thorough discussion with a physician about the use of carboplatin prior to the first treatment.
Pain
Although the use of syringes often causes pain because the needle penetrates the skin, the injection of carboplatin may cause more pain at the site of the injection than other injectable drugs. The Mayo Clinic classifies this pain as a serious common side effect of the medicine that should be explained to the patient, who may need further medical treatment for that pain.
Hair Loss
Carboplatin, like many chemotherapy medications, may cause hair loss at the beginning of treatment. Drugs.com reports hair loss as only a non-serious common side effect of carboplatin, but it can make the patient feel depressed. The loss of hair should stop as the body becomes accustomed to the medication, and hair most often grows back.
Constipation and Diarrhea
The introduction of most new drugs, including carboplatin, can produce disruptive elements in the body that cause the intestines to malfunction slightly, which can induce constipation or diarrhea for a day or two. Being unable to move the bowels or having too many urgent bowel movements both cause discomfort and cramps, but these are classified as non-serious common side effects associated with carboplatin. Both of these problems typically end shortly after the beginning of treatment.
Appetite Loss
Beginning treatment with carboplatin may cause nausea and vomiting for a day or two following the injection, reports Drugs.com. These forms of discomfort, along with another common non-serious side effect associated with the medication, such as pain in the stomach, can make it uncomfortable to eat food. These side effects also disappear generally within a day or two, according to Drugs.com, but should be reported to a physician if they do not or if they feel severe and disrupt daily life.
Member Comments