Carmustine Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 25, 2025.

Applies to carmustine: intravenous powder for solution.

Other dosage forms:

• implantation implant

Precautions

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

Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Females need to use an effective form of birth control during treatment and for at least 6 months while you are using this medicine to keep from getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away. Males need to use an effective form of contraceptive during treatment and for at least 3 months after your last dose to prevent your partner from becoming pregnant.

This medicine may increase your risk of developing cancer and lung problems (such as pulmonary fibrosis or toxicity). This is more likely if you receive high doses of this medicine or use it for a long time.

While you are being treated with carmustine injection, and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Carmustine may lower your body's resistance and the vaccine may not work as well for you or you might get the infection the vaccine is meant to prevent. In addition, you should not be around other persons living in your household who receive live vaccines because there is a chance they could pass the virus on to you. Some examples of live vaccines include measles, mumps, influenza (nasal flu vaccine), poliovirus (oral form), rotavirus, and rubella. Do not get close to them and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you have questions about this, talk to your doctor.

Carmustine can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. It can also lower the number of platelets, which are necessary for proper blood clotting. If this occurs, there are certain precautions you can take, especially when your blood count is low, to reduce the risk of infection or bleeding:

• If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
• Check with your doctor immediately if you notice any unusual bleeding or bruising, black, tarry stools, blood in the urine or stools, or pinpoint red spots on your skin.
• Be careful when using a regular toothbrush, dental floss, or toothpick. Your medical doctor, dentist, or nurse may recommend other ways to clean your teeth and gums. Check with your medical doctor before having any dental work done.
• Do not touch your eyes or the inside of your nose unless you have just washed your hands and have not touched anything else in the meantime.
• Be careful not to cut yourself when you are using sharp objects such as a safety razor or fingernail or toenail cutters.
• Avoid contact sports or other situations where bruising or injury could occur.

If carmustine accidentally seeps out of the vein into which it is injected, it may damage some tissues and cause scarring. Tell the doctor or nurse right away if you notice redness, pain, or swelling at the injection site.

This medicine may increase risk of lung problems while smoking.

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

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.

Common side effects of carmustine

Some side effects of carmustine 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:

Serious side effects of carmustine

Along with its needed effects, carmustine 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 carmustine:

Serious side effects of carmustine

Along with its needed effects, medicines like carmustine can sometimes cause some unwanted effects such as blood problems, loss of hair, and other side effects; these are described below. Also, because of the way these medicines act on the body, there is a chance that they might cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used. These delayed effects may include certain types of cancer, such as leukemia. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.

See also:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to carmustine: implant device, intravenous powder for injection.

Respiratory adverse events

• Common (1% to 10%): Pneumonia, pulmonary embolism
• Frequency not reported: Pulmonary toxicity (IV formulation)^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Frequency not reported: Myelosuppression (IV formulation)^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Nausea, vomiting, constipation
• Common (1% to 10%): Abdominal pain
• Postmarketing reports: Diarrhea, anorexia^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Postmarketing reports: Increased transaminase, increased alkaline phosphatase, increased bilirubin^[Ref]

Renal

• Postmarketing reports: Progressive azotemia, decrease in kidney size, renal failure^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Postmarketing reports: Tachycardia, chest pain, Veno-occlusive disease^[Ref]

Local

• Frequency not reported: Administration reactions (IV formulation)
• Postmarketing reports: Burning sensation^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Asthenia, fever
• Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain
• Frequency not reported: Wafer migration (wafer formulation)^[Ref]

Ocular

• Frequency not reported: Ocular toxicity (IV formulation)
• Postmarketing reports: Conjunctival edema, conjunctival hemorrhage, blurred vision, loss of depth perception^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Postmarketing reports: Acute leukemia, bone marrow dysplasia^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Very common (10% or more): Impaired neurosurgical wound healing (wafer formulation) (16%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Meningitis (wafer formulation)
• Postmarketing reports: Opportunistic infection (sometimes fatal)

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Back pain

Metabolic

• Postmarketing reports: Diabetes mellitus

Psychiatric

• Very common (10% or more): Confusion, depression
• Common (1% to 10%): Anxiety, thinking abnormal, hallucinations, insomnia, personality disorder

Genitourinary

• Very common (10% or more): Urinary tract infection

Nervous system

• Common (1% to 10%): Intracranial hypertension (wafer formulation), brain abscess (wafer formulation), brain cyst (wafer formulation), hydrocephalus (wafer formulation), cerebral edema (wafer formulation), amnesia, facial paralysis, ataxia, hypesthesia, paresthesia, abnormal gait, dizziness, tremor, coma, hypokinesia
• Postmarketing reports: Headache, encephalopathy

(wafer formulation) (23%), aphasia, somnolence, speech disorder

Dermatologic

• Very common (10% or more): Rash
• Postmarketing reports: Hyperpigmentation, swelling, erythema, skin necrosis, alopecia, allergic reaction

Further information

Carmustine 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.

Medical Disclaimer