Cabazitaxel Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 20, 2025.

Applies to cabazitaxel: intravenous solution.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Receiving this medicine while your partner is pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective birth control during treatment with this medicine and for at least 4 months after the last dose. If you think your partner has become pregnant while you are receiving this medicine, tell your doctor right away.

If you plan to have children, talk with your doctor before receiving this medicine. Some men receiving this medicine have become infertile (unable to have children).

Cabazitaxel can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor right away if you think you have a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions. Tell your doctor right away if you have a cough, dizziness, trouble breathing, chest or throat tightness, swelling in your face or hands, fever, chills, rash, itching or hives, skin redness, or lightheadedness or faintness while you are receiving this medicine.

Cabazitaxel may cause serious stomach or bowel problems. This is more likely in patients who have had radiation treatment in the pelvis. Call your doctor right away if you have fever, constipation, diarrhea, or stomach pain or tenderness.

Kidney failure may occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have confusion, decreased urine output, dizziness, irritability, lethargy, muscle twitching, nausea, rapid weight gain, swelling of the face, ankles, or hands, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

This medicine may cause problems in passing urine, including cystitis (inflammation of the bladder). Check with your doctor right away if you have bloody or cloudy urine, difficult, burning, or painful urination, or a frequent urge to urinate.

Lung or breathing problems may occur while you are receiving this medicine, Tell your doctor right away if you have a chest pain, cough, fever, or trouble with breathing after receiving this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Serious side effects of cabazitaxel

Along with its needed effects, cabazitaxel may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking cabazitaxel:

Other side effects of cabazitaxel

Some side effects of cabazitaxel may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to cabazitaxel: intravenous solution.

General adverse events

The most common adverse events were anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and diarrhea.^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Very common (10% or more): Anemia (98%), leukopenia (96%), neutropenia (94%), thrombocytopenia (48%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Febrile neutropenia^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Diarrhea (47%), nausea (34%), vomiting (22%), constipation (20%), abdominal pain (17%), dyspepsia (10%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Abdominal pain upper, hemorrhoids, gastroesophageal reflux disease, rectal hemorrhage, dry mouth, abdominal distension
• Frequency not reported: Death related to diarrhea and electrolyte imbalance, GI hemorrhage and perforation, ileus, enterocolitis, neutropenic enterocolitis, colitis
• Postmarketing reports: Gastritis, intestinal obstruction^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Fatigue (37%), dysgeusia (11%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Dizziness, peripheral neuropathy, headache, peripheral sensory neuropathy, paresthesia, lethargy, hypoesthesia, tinnitus, vertigo, sciatica
• Frequency not reported: Peripheral motor neuropathy, fatal cerebral hemorrhage^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Asthenia (20%), pyrexia (12%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Mucosal inflammation, pain, death due to causes other than disease progression, malaise^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Very common (10% or more): Dyspnea (12%), cough (11%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Oropharyngeal pain^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Peripheral edema, arrhythmia, hypotension, deep vein thrombosis, hypertension, tachycardia, grade 3 or higher arrhythmias, orthostatic hypotension, hot flush, flushing, atrial fibrillation
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Cardiac failure, cardiac arrest, fatal ventricular fibrillation^[Ref]

Renal

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Grade 3 to 4 increased AST, grade 3 to 4 increased ALT, increased bilirubin
• Frequency not reported: Fatal renal failure^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Very common (10% or more): Anorexia (16%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Weight decreased, dehydration, edema, hyperglycemia, hypokalemia^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Very common (10% or more): Hematuria (17%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Dysuria, pollakiuria, urinary retention, urinary incontinence, ureteric obstruction, pelvic pain^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Common (1% to 10%): AST increased, transaminases increased
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): ALT increased, bilirubin increased^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Common (1% to 10%): Hypersensitivity^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Very common (10% or more): Back pain (16%), arthralgia (10.5%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Pain in extremity, muscle spasms, myalgia, musculoskeletal chest pain, flank pain, chills^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Urinary tract infection, influenza, cystitis, upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, cellulitis, herpes zoster, septic shock, sepsis, candidiasis
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Neutropenic sepsis, neutropenic infections
• Frequency not reported: Fatal infection^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Very common (10% or more): Alopecia (10%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Dry skin, erythema^[Ref]

Ocular

• Common (1% to 10%): Conjunctivitis, increased lacrimation^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Common (1% to 10%): Anxiety, confusional state^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Cabazitaxel side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

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