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Practice Point
Systemic therapy planning considerations – Pregnant women #2
The dosage of chemotherapeutic agents should be the same for pregnant women as compared to non-pregnant women. A lower pre-pregnant weight should not be used.
Pregnancy is associated with physiological changes that influence the pharmacokinetics of cytotoxic drugs, including paclitaxel, carboplatin, doxorubicin and epirubicin. The Panel states that although pregnancy will alter the pharmacokinetics, there are currently no studies justifying a change in dosage. Until more data are available, the current dosage of the chemotherapeutic agents should be the same for pregnant compared to that for non-pregnant women and is based on actual height and weight including established dose capping strategies. A lower pre-pregnant weight should not be used since physiologic alterations will already lower dosages
How this guidance was developed
This practice point was developed using an expert consensus process. Development of the practice point was informed by a source recommendation in the ESGC 2010 guidelines (US) that was not graded by the source guideline authors and was based on a non-systematic review of the evidence (the date of the review was not reported). Strongly directive language was used for this PP because of the serious impact to the woman of receiving a potentially sub-therapeutic dose of a chemotherapeutic agent.
Related guidance by topic
Systemic therapy planning considerations – Pregnant women #2
Practice Point
The dosage of chemotherapeutic agents should be the same for pregnant women as compared to non-pregnant women. A lower pre-pregnant weight should not be used.
Principles in action
Safe and quality care
This practice point was developed using an expert consensus process. Development of the practice point was informed by a source recommendation in the ESGC 2010 guidelines (US) that was not graded by the source guideline authors and was based on a non-systematic review of the evidence (the date of the review was not reported). Strongly directive language was used for this PP because of the serious impact to the woman of receiving a potentially sub-therapeutic dose of a chemotherapeutic agent.
Related guidance by topic
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