Hello, Lea.

I'm getting my treatment at Mass General Cancer Center. They medical oncologists there prefer carboplatin, which is a sister-drug to cisplatin, with milder side effects, but proved to be just as effective as cisplatin. White cell and platelet counts are not disturbed as much, kidney damage is less likely, peripheral neuroplathy is less likely/severe, and most of all, hearing loss is not generally a problem. These side effects with carboplatin are further reduced with smaller, weekly doses with concurrent IMRT for 35 treatments.

My treatment plain is 35 IMRT and 7 weekly carboplatin & taxol. According to all of my doctors, they are throwing the kitchen sink at me and treating me very aggressively due to this being a new primary tumor in a relatively young person without risk factors.

I would ask his team about a switch to carboplatin and smaller, weekly doses vs. 3 big-bag doses. Sometimes doctors just get into their own routine and do things a certain way, when the same benefits can be given to the patient with a lower risk of side effects, delay of treatment, and better treatment tolerance.

Those that don't ask won't get and certainly, those that don't know the how and why will never fully understand their treatment options along with the risk/benefit ratio of each.

Best of luck!