Which BSA formula is most accurate for chemotherapy?

No single formula is universally superior. The Mosteller formula is most commonly used in modern oncology due to its simplicity. The DuBois formula was the historical standard. For children, Haycock is often preferred. Always follow institutional protocol.

How is BSA used to calculate a chemotherapy dose?

Multiply the BSA (m²) by the prescribed dose in mg/m². For example, if the dose is 100 mg/m² and BSA is 1.73 m², the total dose = 100 × 1.73 = 173 mg.

Is this tool a substitute for clinical judgment?

No. This tool is for educational and verification purposes only. All chemotherapy dosing decisions must be made and verified by licensed healthcare professionals following institutional protocols.

What are normal BSA values for adults?

Average BSA is approximately 1.7 m² for women and 1.9 m² for men, though values vary widely. Many oncology studies use 1.73 m² as a reference standard.

Why do different formulas give different results?

Each formula was derived from different patient populations and statistical methods. The differences are typically small (within 5%), but can matter for narrow therapeutic index drugs.

Body Surface Area for Chemotherapy

Enter height and weight to calculate BSA using four clinical formulas (Mosteller, DuBois, Haycock, Gehan-George) commonly used for chemotherapy dosing.

Patient Measurements

Enter height and weight to compute BSA

Unit System

Height (cm)

Weight (kg)

Drug Dose (mg/m²) — optional

If entered, total dose (mg) will appear in results.

Enter measurements and click Calculate

Results from 4 BSA formulas will appear here

BSA Results

Mosteller (Recommended)

—

m²

Formula	BSA (m²)	Total Dose (mg)

Formula Reference

Mosteller: √(Height(cm) × Weight(kg) / 3600)

DuBois: 0.007184 × Height(cm)^0.725 × Weight(kg)^0.425

Haycock: 0.024265 × Height(cm)^0.3964 × Weight(kg)^0.5378

Gehan-George: 0.0235 × Height(cm)^0.42246 × Weight(kg)^0.51456

Clinical Disclaimer: This tool is for educational and verification purposes only. All chemotherapy dosing must be confirmed by a licensed oncology pharmacist or physician following institutional protocols.

Summary

Body surface area (BSA) is a critical measurement in oncology used to calculate chemotherapy drug doses. This tool computes BSA using the four most widely accepted formulas: Mosteller (most common in practice), DuBois & DuBois (historical gold standard), Haycock (accurate across age groups), and Gehan & George (validated in large populations). Results are displayed in m² alongside a comparison table.

How it works

Enter the patient height and weight in metric (cm/kg) or imperial (in/lb) units.
The calculator applies four established BSA formulas at once: Mosteller, DuBois, Haycock, and Gehan-George.
Each result is shown in m² in a side-by-side comparison table.
Multiply any BSA value by the prescribed mg/m² drug dose to get the total dose.

Use cases

Oncology nurses verifying chemotherapy dose calculations.
Medical students learning BSA-based pharmacokinetic principles.
Pharmacists double-checking prescribed drug doses in mg/m².
Researchers comparing BSA formula outputs across patient populations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-09-30 · Reviewed by Nham Vu