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Cancers & treatments·Regimen libraryCurative

CEV (carboplatin, etoposide, vincristine) chemoreduction

Checked 2026-09-09

Chemoreduction to shrink intraocular retinoblastoma so that focal laser, cryotherapy or plaque therapy can save the eye and avoid external-beam radiotherapy

Also called CEV, VEC, Carboplatin-etoposide-vincristine.

One cycle

every 28 days × 6 · about 24 weeks in total
1781415212228Vincristine: 1.5 mg/m² (0.05 mg/kg under 36 months; maximum 2 mg), IntravenousVincristineCarboplatin: 560 mg/m² (18.6 mg/kg under 36 months), IntravenousCarboplatinEtoposide: 150 mg/m² (5 mg/kg under 36 months), IntravenousEtoposide
28-day cycle × 6 (about 24 weeks)Intravenous

Components

DrugDoseRouteDays
Vincristine
Vinca alkaloid (microtubule inhibitor)
1.5 mg/m² (0.05 mg/kg under 36 months; maximum 2 mg)IVD1
Carboplatin
Cytotoxic chemotherapy (platinum)
560 mg/m² (18.6 mg/kg under 36 months)IVD1
Etoposide
Topoisomerase II inhibitor (podophyllotoxin derivative)
150 mg/m² (5 mg/kg under 36 months)IVD1, 2
Cycles
6
28-day cycle
Emetogenicity
Moderate (30-90%)
G-CSF
Not routine

Notes

  • Infants are dosed by weight rather than surface area; each cycle is paired with focal eye treatments by the ophthalmologist.
  • Intra-arterial melphalan into the ophthalmic artery has since replaced or reduced systemic chemoreduction at many centres.

Used in

Retinoblastoma
Products
VincristineCarboplatinEtoposide

Source

Friedman (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia), JCO 2000: chemoreduction and local ophthalmic therapy for intraocular retinoblastoma

Reference doses for a typical adult from the cited protocol or label. Doses are adjusted for renal and hepatic function, age, performance status and prior toxicity, and institutional protocols vary. Verify against the current label and your local protocol before treating. Not medical advice.

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