A study was undertaken to examine the relationships between carboplatin's pharmacokinetic parameters and the myelotoxicity associated with its administration in combination with cyclophosphamide. An additional aim of the study was to test the applicability of the method proposed by Calvert et al. for calculation of the carboplatin dose to be used in the combination regimen. A total of 24 previously untreated ovarian cancer patients were given a combination of 250-500 mg/m2 carboplatin and 500 mg/m2 cyclophosphamide every 4 weeks for 4 months. The pharmacokinetics of carboplatin and the associated myelotoxicity were investigated in 64 courses. The results showed a significant correlation (r = 0.89) between the AUC calculated for carboplatin and that predicted according to Calvert's formula [carboplatin dose in milligrams = AUC (glomerular filtration rate +25)]. We conclude that the model is a useful guide in the calculation of the carboplatin dose to be given in combination with cyclophosphamide, and it enables a more precise prediction of the carboplatin exposure than does the conventional calculation, which is based on milligrams of drug per square meter of body surface. The AUC for carboplatin was a reliable predictor of the myelotoxicity as measured by the relative decrease in thrombocyte count. However, the relationship between AUC and myelotoxicity changed during the treatment because of increasing bone marrow toxicity. Despite this finding, dose calculation based on carboplatin's AUC appears to provide an improvement in the clinical use of the drug, and the method also seems to be fully applicable in combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide.
