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Thrombocytopenia associated with second-line carboplatin-based chemotherapy for ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cavity cancers.

Markman M, Markman J, Webster K, Zanotti K, Kulp B, Peterson G, Belinson J

University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, 77030, USA. mmarkman@mdanderson.org

PURPOSE: There are limited data available in the oncology literature regarding the risk of thrombocytopenia associated with carboplatin-based second-line treatment of ovarian cancer, outside the setting of patients participating in clinical trials. METHODS: To examine this clinically-relevant issue, we conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of women with ovarian cancer treated in the Gynecologic Cancer Program of the Cleveland Clinic from 1994 through November 2003, who received >2 second-line carboplatin-based regimens. RESULTS: A total of 176 second-line carboplatin-based programs were delivered to the 152 patients (median age 61 years; range 39-87 years) identified through this review. A total of ten (7%) patients experienced >grade 2 thrombocytopenia, with only four (3%) patients developing platelet count nadirs <50.0 x 10(9)/l. No patient required discontinuation of platinum-based therapy due to the development of thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSION: Second-line carboplatin-based chemotherapy of ovarian cancer is associated with a low incidence of serious thrombocytopenia, if a strategy of selecting modest initial dose levels, and instituting rapid reductions in dose with the development of significant bone marrow suppression, is employed.

Published 1 November 2004 in J Cancer Res Clin Oncol, 130(12): 741-4.
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