Carboplatin

Carboplatin, sold under the brand name Paraplatin among others, is a chemotherapy medication used to treat a number of forms of cancer. This includes ovarian cancer, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, brain cancer, and neuroblastoma. It is administered by injection into a vein sometimes via a port. Side effects generally occur. Common side effects include low blood cell levels, nausea, and electrolyte problems. Other serious side effects include allergic reactions and mutagenesis. It may be carcinogenic, but further research is needed to confirm this. Use during pregnancy may result in harm to the baby. Carboplatin is in the platinum-based antineoplastic family of medications and works by interfering with replication of DNA. Carboplatin was developed as a less toxic analogue of cisplatin. It was patented in 1972 and approved for medical use in 1989. It is on the 2023 World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.