What Factors Affect a Sufficient Cisplatin Dose?

A sufficient cisplatin dose is affected by many factors, such as the size of the patient, the condition being treated, the patient’s reaction to the drug, and other drugs it is combined with. The dose of cisplatin may be reduced if the patient has kidney problems. The recommended cisplatin dose for bladder cancer is between 50 and 70 milligrams (mg) per meter squared (m²) in body size. This dosage increases for larger patients or those resistant to its effects. Doses for other conditions such as cervical cancer vary depending on which drug it is used in combination with.

The size of the patient is a major factor in determining the correct cisplatin dose. Most dosages are listed per m² in body size. For example, a patient taking the drug for testicular cancer requires 20 mg per each m² in size. If the patient is 2 m² in size, he or she will require 40 mg. A patient 1.5 m² in size requires a 30 mg dose.

Different patients’ responses to treatment can determine the correct cisplatin dose. The dosage for neuroblastoma is 60 to 100 mg per m². Most cancer treatments are given at the maximum dosage possible without causing serious side effects in the patient. Two patients of equal size could be given different dosages if one reacts worse to the drug. All dosages must still fall within the stated range to be effective and safe.

Specific cancers are often treated with different amounts of the drug. For example, the required cisplatin dose for bladder cancer is 50 to 70 mg per m². Patients suffering from non small-cell lung cancer require a dose of between 60 and 100 mg per m² in body size. Testicular cancer requires a much smaller dosage of 20 mg per m². Most dosages for different cancers don’t exceed 100 mg per m² in body size.

Combination therapy is commonly used in cancer patients, and this can affect the required cisplatin dose. Patients with cervical cancer taking the drug with radiation therapy require a dose of 40 mg per m². If the drug is combined with paclitaxel, the required cisplatin dose increases to 75 mg per m². Other chemotherapy drugs combined with cisplatin can change the required dose to 50 mg per m².

Dosages have to be reduced in patients who have kidney problems. The function of the kidneys is measured by the creatinine clearance of the patient. If the patient has a creatinine clearance of between 10 and 50 milliliters per minute (ml/min), he or she requires 75 percent of the usual cisplatin dose. Patients with a creatinine clearance of below 10 ml/min should be given half of the normal dosage.