Carboplatin, a drug used to combat the asbestos cancer mesothelioma, generally has more mild side effects than most other chemotherapeutical treatments. However, it is also generally less effective, and must be given in higher doses to match the progress of other, more powerful drugs.

An overview of the basics of mesothelioma, a rare cancer affecting the mesothelium, which is a fluid-producing double lining of the lungs, heart and stomach. mesothelioma may take as long as 50 years to develop, and is generally linked with exposure to asbestos.