Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 25, 2026
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cancer Drug Sensitization In Vitro and In Vivo
Published on: February 6, 2015
Successful administration of carboplatin in patients with clinically documented carboplatin hypersensitivity
Peter G Rose1, Nancy Fusco, Mary Smrekar
1Case Western Reserve University, Ireland Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. prose@metrohealth.org
Objective:
The goal of this study was to evaluate the tolerance and effectiveness of carboplatin rechallenge using a prolonged desensitizing carboplatin infusion regimen in patients with clinically documented moderate-severe carboplatin hypersensitivity.
Method:
Patients admitted for carboplatin infusion were identified by computerized pharmacy records and retrospectively analyzed.
Result:
Thirty-three patients with recurrent ovarian (N = 27), peritoneal (N = 4), tubal (N = 1), and cervical (N = 1) cancer treated with a prolonged desensitizing carboplatin infusion regimen were identified. The patients had received a median of 10 courses of carboplatin (range 3-33) before developing the moderate-severe hypersensitivity reaction. Two hundred and fifteen courses (median 5, range 1-52) were administered. Twenty-nine patients (88%) were successfully rechallenged while four had a recurrent moderate-severe carboplatin hypersensitivity precluding further administration. Despite initial tolerance of the infusion schedule moderate-severe carboplatin hypersensitivity recurred in 3 additional patients (9%) after two, three, and six subsequent courses. Objective responses to therapy were seen in 22 of 28 evaluable patients (79%).
Conclusions:
A prolonged desensitizing carboplatin infusion regimen is tolerated in the majority of patients with clinically documented moderate-severe carboplatin hypersensitivity. Objective response rates seem acceptable with this schedule.
