1. What is Body Surface Area (BSA)?

Body Surface Area (BSA) is a measurement of the total surface area of the human body. It's commonly used in medical practice to calculate drug dosages for chemotherapy and other medications that require precise dosing based on body size.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Mosteller formula:

Where:

• \( W \) — Weight in kilograms (kg)
• \( H \) — Height in centimeters (cm)

Explanation: The Mosteller formula provides a simple yet accurate way to estimate body surface area from height and weight measurements.

3. Importance of BSA Calculation

Details: BSA is crucial for determining appropriate dosages of chemotherapy drugs, which often have narrow therapeutic windows. Accurate dosing helps maximize treatment effectiveness while minimizing toxicity.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter weight in kilograms and height in centimeters. For accurate results, use actual measurements rather than estimates. All values must be valid (weight > 0, height > 0).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use BSA instead of weight for chemotherapy dosing?
A: BSA correlates better with metabolic processes and drug distribution than weight alone, leading to more accurate dosing.

Q2: What are typical BSA values?
A: Average BSA is about 1.7 m² for adult men and 1.6 m² for adult women, but varies significantly with body size.

Q3: Are there other BSA formulas?
A: Yes, other formulas include DuBois & DuBois, Haycock, and Boyd formulas, but Mosteller is most commonly used in clinical practice.

Q4: When should BSA be recalculated?
A: BSA should be recalculated if a patient's weight changes by >10% or at the start of each new chemotherapy cycle.

Q5: Is BSA used for all chemotherapy drugs?
A: Most chemotherapy drugs are dosed by BSA, but some newer targeted therapies use flat dosing or weight-based dosing.