Dose intensity of carboplatin in combination with cyclophosphamide or ifosfamide

In two separate studies of patients with ovarian cancer, subjects were treated on a protocol comprising 400 mg/m2 carboplatin in combination with 1 g/m2 cyclophosphamide (group A) or 5 g/m2 ifosfamide with mesna (group B). The dose intensities achieved in group A were 87.2 mg/m2 carboplatin per week and 245.8 mg/m2 cyclophosphamide per week (34 patients). In group B, the dose intensities achieved were 124.1 mg/m2 carboplatin per week and 2,020 mg/m2 ifosfamide per week (25 patients). Two formulae for the prediction of the optimal dose of carboplatin based on renal function and degree of myelosuppression are compared with that based on surface area, and that recently proposed by Calvert is recommended. The importance of dose intensity and the total dose delivered in phase II and III studies is emphasized.