Cytoxan Side Effects Center

Last updated on RxList: 8/19/2020
Cytoxan Side Effects Center

What Is Cytoxan?

Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) is a cancer (chemotherapy) medication used to treat several types of cancer. Cytoxan is also used to treat certain cases of nephrotic syndrome (kidney disease) in children.

What Are Side Effects of Cytoxan?

Common side effects of Cytoxan include:

  • nausea or vomiting (may be severe),
  • loss of appetite,
  • stomach pain or upset,
  • diarrhea,
  • temporary hair loss,
  • a wound that will not heal,
  • missed menstrual periods,
  • changes in skin color (darkening), or
  • changes in nails.

Tell your doctor if you have unlikely but serious side effects of Cytoxan including:

  • pink/bloody urine,
  • unusual decrease in the amount of urine,
  • mouth sores,
  • unusual tiredness or weakness,
  • joint pain, or
  • easy bruising or bleeding.

Dosage for Cytoxan

In treatment of cancer, the initial course of Cytoxan is usually of 40 to 50 mg/kg given intravenously (IV) in divided doses over a period of 2 to 5 days. Other intravenous regimens include 10 to 15 mg/kg given every 7 to 10 days or 3 to 5 mg/kg twice weekly. Oral Cytoxan dosing is usually in the range of 1 to 5 mg/kg/day for both initial and maintenance dosing. For non-malignant disease an oral dose of 2.5 to 3 mg/kg daily for a period of 60 to 90 days is recommended.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Cytoxan?

Cytoxan may interact with phenobarbital, allopurinol, digoxin, warfarin, thiazide diuretics (water pills), other chemotherapy medicines, or "live" vaccines. Tell your doctor all medications you use.

Cytoxan During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Cytoxan is not recommended for use during pregnancy. It may cause harm to a fetus. Women of childbearing age and men should use birth control during treatment and for some period afterwards. This drug passes into breast milk. Because of the potential risk to the infant, breastfeeding while using this drug is not recommended.

Additional Information

Our Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Cytoxan Consumer Information

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Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).

Call your doctor at once if you have:

  • new worsening cough, shortness of breath, trouble breathing while lying down;
  • a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
  • pink or red urine, pain or burning when you urinate;
  • bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
  • any wound that will not heal;
  • heart problems--swelling, rapid weight gain, pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;
  • liver problems--loss of appetite, stomach pain (upper right side), bloating, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
  • low sodium level--headache, confusion, slurred speech, severe weakness, vomiting, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady; or
  • low blood cell counts--fever, chills, tiredness, blisters or ulcers in your mouth, skin sores, easy bruising, unusual bleeding, pale skin, cold hands and feet, feeling light-headed or short of breath.

Common side effects may include:

  • fever, low blood cell counts;
  • mouth sores;
  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
  • hair loss; or
  • missed menstrual periods.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Cytoxan Professional Information

SIDE EFFECTS

The following adverse reactions are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling.

  • Hypersensitivity [see CONTRAINDICATIONS]
  • Myelosuppression, Immunosuppression, Bone Marrow Failure, and Infections [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Urinary Tract and Renal Toxicity [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Cardiotoxicity [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Pulmonary Toxicity [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Secondary Malignancies [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Veno-occlusive Liver Disease [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Embryo-Fetal Toxicity [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Reproductive System Toxicity [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS and Use In Specific Populations]
  • Impaired Wound Healing [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
  • Hyponatremia [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]

Common Adverse Reactions

Hematopoietic System

Neutropenia occurs in patients treated with cyclophosphamide. The degree of neutropenia is particularly important because it correlates with a reduction in resistance to infections. Fever without documented infection has been reported in neutropenic patients.

Gastrointestinal System

Nausea and vomiting occur with cyclophosphamide therapy. Anorexia and, less frequently, abdominal discomfort or pain and diarrhea may occur. There are isolated reports of hemorrhagic colitis, oral mucosal ulceration and jaundice occurring during therapy.

Skin And Its Structures

Alopecia occurs in patients treated with cyclophosphamide. Skin rash occurs occasionally in patients receiving the drug. Pigmentation of the skin and changes in nails can occur.

Postmarketing Experience

The following adverse reactions have been identified from clinical trials or post-marketing surveillance. Because they are reported from a population from unknown size, precise estimates of frequency cannot be made.

Cardiac: cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, cardiogenic shock, pericardial effusion (progressing to cardiac tamponade), myocardial hemorrhage, myocardial infarction, cardiac failure (including fatal outcomes), cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, pericarditis, carditis, atrial fibrillation, supraventricular arrhythmia, ventricular arrhythmia, bradycardia, tachycardia, palpitations, QT prolongation.

Congenital, Familial and Genetic: intra-uterine death, fetal malformation, fetal growth retardation, fetal toxicity (including myelosuppression, gastroenteritis).

Ear and Labyrinth: deafness, hearing impaired, tinnitus.

Endocrine: water intoxication.

Eye: visual impairment, conjunctivitis, lacrimation.

Gastrointestinal: gastrointestinal hemorrhage, acute pancreatitis, colitis, enteritis, cecitis, stomatitis, constipation, parotid gland inflammation.

General Disorders and Administrative Site Conditions: multiorgan failure, general physical deterioration, influenza-like illness, injection/infusion site reactions (thrombosis, necrosis, phlebitis, inflammation, pain, swelling, erythema), pyrexia, edema, chest pain, mucosal inflammation, asthenia, pain, chills, fatigue, malaise, headache.

Hematologic: myelosuppression, bone marrow failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation and hemolytic uremic syndrome (with thrombotic microangiopathy).

Hepatic: veno-occlusive liver disease, cholestatic hepatitis, cytolytic hepatitis, hepatitis, cholestasis; hepatotoxicity with hepatic failure, hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, hepatomegaly, blood bilirubin increased, hepatic function abnormal, hepatic enzymes increased.

Immune: immunosuppression, anaphylactic shock and hypersensitivity reaction.

Infections: The following manifestations have been associated with myelosuppression and immunosuppression caused by cyclophosphamide: increased risk for and severity of pneumonias (including fatal outcomes), other bacterial, fungal, viral, protozoal and, parasitic infections; reactivation of latent infections, (including viral hepatitis, tuberculosis), Pneumocystis jiroveci, herpes zoster, Strongyloides, sepsis and septic shock.

Investigations: blood lactate dehydrogenase increased, C-reactive protein increased.

Metabolism and Nutrition: hyponatremia, fluid retention, blood glucose increased, blood glucose decreased.

Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue: rhabdomyolysis, scleroderma, muscle spasms, myalgia, arthralgia.

Neoplasms: acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, lymphoma, sarcomas, renal cell carcinoma, renal pelvis cancer, bladder cancer, ureteric cancer, thyroid cancer.

Nervous System: encephalopathy, convulsion, dizziness, neurotoxicity has been reported and manifested as reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome, myelopathy, peripheral neuropathy, polyneuropathy, neuralgia, dysesthesia, hypoesthesia, paresthesia, tremor, dysgeusia, hypogeusia, parosmia.

Pregnancy: premature labor.

Psychiatric: confusional state.

Renal and Urinary: renal failure, renal tubular disorder, renal impairment, nephropathy toxic, hemorrhagic cystitis, bladder necrosis, cystitis ulcerative, bladder contracture, hematuria, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, atypical urinary bladder epithelial cells.

Reproductive System: infertility, ovarian failure, ovarian disorder, amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, testicular atrophy, azoospermia, oligospermia.

Respiratory: pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, acute respiratory distress syndrome, interstitial lung disease as manifested by respiratory failure (including fatal outcomes), obliterative bronchiolitis, organizing pneumonia, alveolitis allergic, pneumonitis, pulmonary hemorrhage; respiratory distress, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, bronchospasm, dyspnea, hypoxia, cough, nasal congestion, nasal discomfort, oropharyngeal pain, rhinorrhea.

Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue: toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, radiation recall dermatitis, toxic skin eruption, urticaria, dermatitis, blister, pruritus, erythema, nail disorder, facial swelling, hyperhidrosis.

Tumor lysis syndrome: like other cytotoxic drugs, cyclophosphamide may induce tumor-lysis syndrome and hyperuricemia in patients with rapidly growing tumors.

Vascular: pulmonary embolism, venous thrombosis, vasculitis, peripheral ischemia, hypertension, hypotension, flushing, hot flush.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Cytoxan (Cyclophosphamide)

© Cytoxan Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Cytoxan Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.

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