Mutamycin Side Effects

Generic name: mitomycin

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 27, 2025.

Note: This document provides detailed information about Mutamycin Side Effects associated with mitomycin. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply specifically to the brand name Mutamycin.

Applies to mitomycin: intravenous 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 mitomycin (the active ingredient contained in Mutamycin) and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccinations) without your doctor's approval. Mitomycin 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. 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.

Mitomycin 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 mitomycin accidentally seeps out of the vein into which it is injected, it may damage the skin and cause scarring. In some patients, this may occur weeks or even months after this medicine is given. Tell the doctor or nurse right away if you notice redness, pain, or swelling at the place of injection or anywhere else on your skin.

Common side effects of Mutamycin

Some side effects of mitomycin 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:

Mitomycin sometimes causes a temporary loss of hair. After treatment 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:

• blood in urine

Also, check with your doctor if you notice any of the following:

• black, tarry stools
• blood in stools
• cough or hoarseness
• decreased urination
• fever or chills
• lower back or side pain
• painful or difficult urination
• pinpoint red spots on skin
• red or painful skin
• shortness of breath
• swelling of feet or lower legs
• unusual bleeding or bruising

Serious side effects of Mutamycin

Along with its needed effects, mitomycin 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 cancer 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. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.

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

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

For healthcare professionals

Applies to mitomycin: compounding powder, intravenous powder for injection, intravesical solution, ureteral kit.

Hematologic adverse events

• Very common (10% or more): Bone marrow toxicity (64%), thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, pancytopenia, neutropenia, granulocytopenia, erythropenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Fever (14%)
• Frequency not reported: Fatigue, edema, pain^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Allergic skin rash, contact dermatitis, palmar-plantar erythema, pruritus, exanthema, integument and mucous membrane toxicity
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Alopecia^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Interstitial pneumonia, dyspnea, cough, shortness of breath
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD)^[Ref]

Renal

• Common (1% to 10%): Renal dysfunction, increase in serum creatinine, glomerulopathy, nephrotoxicity
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) (commonly fatal), microangiopathic-hemolytic anemia (MAHA syndrome)^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Heart failure (after previous therapy with anthracyclines)^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Anorexia (14%), nausea (14%), vomiting (14%)
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Mucositis, stomatitis, diarrhea^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Common (1% to 10%): Cystitis (possibly hemorrhagic), dysuria, nocturia, pollakiuria, hematuria, local irritation of the bladder wall
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Necrotizing cystitis, allergic (eosinophilic) cystitis, stenosis of the efferent urinary tract, reduced bladder capacity, bladder wall calcification, bladder wall fibrosis, bladder perforation
• Frequency not reported: Increased frequency of micturition, rash and pruritus on hands and genital area
• Postmarketing reports: Bladder fibrosis/contraction rarely requiring cystectomy^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Severe allergic reaction^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Life-threatening infection (e.g., bacterial, viral, fungal), sepsis, hemolytic anemia
• Frequency not reported: Septic shock^[Ref]

Local

• Common (1% to 10%): Following extravasation: Cellulitis, tissue necrosis^[Ref]

Ocular

• Frequency not reported: Blurred vision^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Frequency not reported: Confusion^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Liver dysfunction, increased transaminases, jaundice, veno-occlusive disease (VOD)^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Frequency not reported: Myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia, acute leukemia^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Frequency not reported: Headache, drowsiness, syncope^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Mutamycin 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