What is ECOG Performance Status?

The ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) scale rates a patient's functional status from 0 (fully active) to 5 (dead). It is used to assess a patient's ability to tolerate chemotherapy, determine clinical trial eligibility, and estimate prognosis. ECOG 0–1 generally indicates a patient who can tolerate standard treatment regimens.

Why is BSA used for chemotherapy dosing?

Body surface area (BSA) correlates better with drug metabolism and clearance than weight alone. Most chemotherapy protocols express doses in mg/m². The most commonly used BSA formula is the Mosteller formula: BSA (m²) = √(height × weight / 3600). BSA capping at 2.0 m² is sometimes applied but remains controversial.

Are there risks to using BSA-based dosing?

BSA-based dosing is an approximation and does not account for individual variation in drug metabolism, organ function, or body composition. Obese patients, in particular, may be under-dosed if BSA is capped or if ideal body weight is used instead of actual weight. Each institution should follow its own dosing guidelines.

Oncology Assessment Tools

Oncology tools including ECOG Performance Status for functional assessment and BSA-based dosing calculations. Used for treatment planning, clinical trial eligibility, and prognosis estimation in cancer care.

This category currently includes 3 tools, including ECOG Status, Deauville Score, and Karnofsky Performance.

These resources are built for clinicians, trainees, and medically informed patients who need fast bedside calculations. Use the results as decision support and pair them with full clinical context and local guidelines.

All Oncology Tools (3)

ECOG Status

Classify cancer patient performance status using the ECOG 0–5 scale. ECOG 0–1: eligible for standard chemotherapy. ECOG 2: limited self-care. ECOG 3+: significantly impaired, clinical trial caution.

Deauville Score

Classify lymphoma PET response using the Deauville 5-point scale by comparing lesion uptake to mediastinum and liver.

Karnofsky Performance

Classify oncology functional status from 100 to 0 using the Karnofsky Performance Status scale for prognosis and treatment planning.

Frequently Asked Questions

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