Dacarbazine Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 10, 2025.

Applies to dacarbazine: powder for solution.

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 dacarbazine, and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccinations) without your doctor's approval. Dacarbazine may lower your body's resistance and there is a chance you might get the infection the immunization is meant to prevent. In addition, other persons living in your household should not take oral polio vaccine since there is a chance they could pass the polio virus on to you. Also, avoid persons who have taken oral polio vaccine within the last several months. Do not get close to them, and do not stay in the same room with them for very long. If you cannot take these precautions, you should consider wearing a protective face mask that covers the nose and mouth.

Dacarbazine 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 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 dacarbazine 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 place of injection.

Serious side effects of dacarbazine

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

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.

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

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur while taking dacarbazine:

Other side effects of dacarbazine

Some side effects of dacarbazine 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:

This medicine may cause a temporary loss of hair in some people. After treatment with dacarbazine has ended, normal hair growth should return.

After you stop using this medicine, it may still produce some side effects that need attention. During this period of time, Check with your doctor immediately if you notice the following side effects:

• black, tarry stools
• blood in urine or stools
• cough or hoarseness, accompanied by fever or chills
• fever or chills
• lower back or side pain, accompanied by fever or chills
• painful or difficult urination, accompanied by fever or chills
• pinpoint red spots on skin
• unusual bleeding or bruising

For healthcare professionals

Applies to dacarbazine: intravenous powder for injection.

General adverse events

Anorexia, nausea, and vomiting are the most frequently reported adverse reactions. Over 90% of patients are affected with the initial few doses. The vomiting lasts 1 to 12 hours and is incompletely and unpredictably palliated with phenobarbital and/or prochlorperazine. Restricting oral intake of food for 4 to 6 hours prior to therapy may help to alleviate these symptoms. The rapid toleration of these symptoms suggests that a CNS mechanism may be involved, and usually these symptoms subside after the first 1 or 2 days.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Nausea (90%), vomiting (90%)
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Diarrhea^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Hepatic necrosis due to veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver, Budd-Chiari syndrome (sometimes fatal), hepatic enzymes increased (e.g., alkaline phosphatase, ASAT, ALAT)^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Facial flushing
• Frequency not reported: ECG abnormalities, orthostatic hypotension (may be associated with high doses)^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Anaphylaxis^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Alopecia, hyperpigmentation, photosensitivity
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Erythema, maculopapular exanthema, urticaria
• Frequency not reported: Rash^[Ref]

Local

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Application site irritation
• Frequency not reported: Severe pain along the vein caused by injection of concentrated solution, extravasation (causing pain, tissue damage, cellulitis), burning sensation^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Very common (10% or more): Bone marrow depression (25%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Pancytopenia, agranulocytosis, blood lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) increased, blood creatinine increased, blood urea increased^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Infections, influenza-like symptoms^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Frequency not reported: Myalgia^[Ref]

Ocular

• Common (1% to 10%): Blurred vision
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Impaired vision^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Very common (10% or more): Anorexia (90%)^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Headache, lethargy, malaise, convulsions, facial paresthesia^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Confusion^[Ref]

Renal

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Impaired renal function^[Ref]

See also:

Frequently asked questions

• What is ABVD chemo regimen and how is it used for lymphoma?

Further information

Dacarbazine 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