Body surface area-based medication dosing represents a crucial practice, particularly within oncology and pediatric medicine. This method calculates the appropriate drug quantity by considering a patient’s size, specifically their body surface area (BSA) expressed in square meters (m2). The dosage is then determined in milligrams (mg) per square meter. For example, if a patient has a BSA of 1.5 m2 and the prescribed dose is 100 mg/m2, the total drug amount administered would be 150 mg.
The significance of BSA-normalized dosing lies in its attempt to individualize therapy. Standard weight-based dosing can lead to under- or over-treatment, especially in individuals with extreme body sizes. Employing this approach helps ensure drug exposure is more consistent across patients, minimizing the risk of toxicity in larger individuals and maximizing efficacy in smaller ones. Historically, formulas like the Mosteller and Haycock formulas have been instrumental in estimating BSA accurately.