Continuous local injection of carboplatin into the uterine cervix for cervical and endometrial cancer: preliminary study.

Abstract

Platinum compounds are thought to be concentration- and time-dependent, but intravenous (i.v.) administration does not afford prolonged high platinum concentration in tumor tissue. In order to examine the influence of long-term local continuous (LC) injection of carboplatin, a pharmacokinetic study was performed. Twenty-six patients with uterine cancer were included. I.v. administration (11 patients): carboplatin (210 mg) was given i.v. and samples of target tissue were obtained at operation about 2 or 24 h after administration. LC administration (15 patients): the 21-gauge needle was implanted at the uterine cervix, and carboplatin was injected continuously (30 mg/day) for 3, 7 or 14 days using an external pump. The tissue platinum concentration was measured in the pelvic organs. The mean platinum levels at the cervix and vaginal wall in the LC (7 days) group were higher than those in the i.v. (2 h) group (p < 0.01). With LC injection, sustained platinum levels were maintained in the pelvic organs for a long time, with very few side effects. LC injection may be advantageous on the basis of pharmacokinetics.