Weekly carboplatin in a frail elderly woman with advanced peritoneal carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Standard chemotherapy for ovarian, peritoneal and fallopian tube carcinoma has been a combination of carboplatin (AUC = 6) and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. For frail and elderly patients who may not tolerate the toxicity associated with combination chemotherapy there is the option of omitting paclitaxel and giving carboplatin (AUC = 6) as a single agent every 3 weeks. The toxicity may be reduced further, without decreasing effectiveness, by giving single-agent carboplatin at a reduced dose (AUC = 2) every week. CASE REPORT: A frail 79-year-old woman with advanced peritoneal carcinoma had first-line and second-line chemotherapy with single-agent carboplatin on day 1 every 7 days. This has resulted in disease stabilization, CA-125 partial response and improved quality of life. Toxicity has been negligible. CONCLUSION: Weekly carboplatin is an attractive option for the treatment of frail and elderly patients with ovarian, peritoneal and fallopian tube carcinoma.