Cytoxan Lyophilized Side Effects

Generic name: cyclophosphamide

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 1, 2024.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Cytoxan Lyophilized.

Applies to cyclophosphamide: capsule, powder for solution, solution, tablet Side Effects associated with cyclophosphamide. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Cytoxan Lyophilized.

Applies to cyclophosphamide: capsule, powder for solution, solution, tablet.

Precautions

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

While you are being treated with cyclophosphamide (the active ingredient contained in Cytoxan Lyophilized) and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccines) without your doctor's approval. Cyclophosphamide may lower your body's resistance and the vaccine may not work as well 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 virus 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.

Before having any kind of surgery, including dental surgery, or emergency treatment, make sure the medical doctor or dentist in charge knows that you are taking this medicine, especially if you have taken it within the last 10 days.

Cyclophosphamide may cause a temporary loss of hair in some people. After treatment has ended, normal hair growth should return, although the new hair may be a slightly different color or texture.

Cyclophosphamide 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.

Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are taking this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.

Serious side effects of Cytoxan Lyophilized

Along with its needed effects, cyclophosphamide 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 immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking cyclophosphamide:

With high doses and/or long-term treatment

• blood in the urine
• dizziness, confusion, or agitation
• fast heartbeat
• joint pain
• shortness of breath
• swelling of the feet or lower legs
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Other side effects of Cytoxan Lyophilized

Some side effects of cyclophosphamide 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 cyclophosphamide: intravenous powder for injection, intravenous solution, oral capsule, oral tablet.

Hematologic adverse events

• Very common (10% or more): Myelosuppression (e.g., bone marrow failure, pancytopenia, neutropenia, agranulocytosis, granulocytopenia, thrombocytopenia [complicated by bleeding], leukopenia, anemia)
• Common (1% to 10%): Febrile neutropenia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Thrombocytopenia, anemia
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Hemorrhage
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Disseminated intravascular coagulation, hemolytic uremic syndrome, thromboembolism
• Frequency not reported: Agranulocytosis, lymphopenia, hemoglobin decreased^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Mucosal inflammation
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Enterocolitis hemorrhagic, acute pancreatitis, ascites, stomatitis, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, nausea
• Frequency not reported: Abdominal pain, parotid gland inflammation, GI hemorrhage, cecitis, colitis, enteritis^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Very common (10% or more): Alopecia
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Rash, dermatitis, nail discoloration, skin discoloration (palms and heels)
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), radiation erythema, pruritus (including itching due to inflammation)
• Frequency not reported: Erythema multiforme, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (hand-foot syndrome), urticaria, erythema, facial swelling, hyperhidrosis, scleroderma^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Very common (10% or more): Cystitis, microhematuria
• Common (1% to 10%): Impairment of spermatogenesis
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Ovulation disorder (rarely irreversible)
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Amenorrhea, azoospermia/asperima, oligospermia, oligospermia, lower levels of female sex hormones, blood estrogen level decreased, blood gonadotropin level increased
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Suburethral hemorrhage, bladder wall edema, bladder fibrosis and sclerosis, atypical urinary bladder epithelial cells
• Frequency not reported: Infertility, ovarian failure, oligomenorrhea, testicular atrophy^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Pneumonia (sometimes fatal)
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), chronic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, pulmonary edema, bronchospasm, dyspnea, hypoxia, cough
• Frequency not reported: Nasal congestion, oropharyngeal pain, rhinorrhea, pulmonary venoocclusive disease, obliterative bronchiolitis, alveolitis allergic,^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, heart failure (sometimes fatal), tachycardia, flushing, ECG changes, decreased LVEF
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Ventricular arrhythmia, supraventricular arrhythmia, chest pain
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Ventricular fibrillation, angina, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, hypotension
• Frequency not reported: Ventricular tachycardia, cardiogenic shock, pericardial effusion, bradycardia, palpitation, electrocardiogram QT prolonged, pulmonary embolism, venous thrombosis, vasculitis, peripheral ischemia^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)
• Frequency not reported: Water intoxication^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypersensitivity reaction, anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reaction
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Anaphylactic shock^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Acute leukemia (e.g., acute myeloid leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia), myelodysplastic syndrome, secondary malignancies, bladder cancer, ureteric cancer
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Tumor lysis syndrome
• Frequency not reported: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, sarcoma, renal cell carcinoma, renal pelvis cancer, thyroid cancer^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Convulsion, dizziness
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Dysgeusia, hypogeusia, paresthesia
• Frequency not reported: Neurotoxicity (e.g., myelopathy, peripheral neuropathy, polyneuropathy, neuralgia, dysesthesia, hypoesthesia, paresthesia, tremor, hypogeusia, parosmia), reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (e.g., headache, altered mental functioning, seizures, abnormal vision from blurriness to vision loss), encephalopathy^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Rhabdomyolysis, cramps
• Frequency not reported: Muscle spasms, myalgia, arthralgia^[Ref]

Local

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Injection site reactions (e.g., thrombosis, necrosis, phlebitis, inflammation, pain, swelling, erythema)

Ocular

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Blurred vision, visual impairment
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Conjunctivitis, eye edema (usually from hypersensitivity), lacrimation increased
• Frequency not reported: Blurred vision, vision loss^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Anorexia, blood lactate dehydrogenase increased, C-reactive protein increased
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Dehydration
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Hyponatremia, weight gain
• Frequency not reported: Hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Common (1% to 10%): Chills, asthenia, malaise
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Confusion^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Common (1% to 10%): Hepatic function abnormal
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Hepatitis
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Venoocclusive liver disease, hepatomegaly, jaundice
• Frequency not reported: Cholestatic hepatitis, hepatotoxicity (e.g., hepatic failure, hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, hepatomegaly, jaundice, blood bilirubin increased, hepatic enzymes increased [e.g., ASAT, ALAT, ALP, gamma-GT])^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Fever
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Deafness
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Multiorgan failure
• Frequency not reported: Tinnitus, premature labor, intrauterine death, fetal malformation, fetal growth retardation, fetal damage, carcinogenic effect on offspring^[Ref]

Renal

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Renal impairment, blood creatinine increased, renal tubular necrosis
• Frequency not reported: Renal tubular disorder, toxic nephropathy, hemorrhagic urethritis, bladder contracture, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, blood urea nitrogen increased^[Ref]

See also:

Frequently asked questions

• What is the TC chemo regimen and how does it treat breast cancer?
• What are CHOP and R-CHOP chemotherapy regimens?
• How does Adriamycin and Cytoxan (AC chemo) work for Breast Cancer?

Further information

Cytoxan Lyophilized 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