Vinblastine Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 20, 2024.

Applies to vinblastine: intravenous 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 vinblastine, and after you stop treatment with it, do not have any immunizations (vaccinations) without your doctor's approval. Vinblastine may lower your body's resistance and there is a chance you might get the infection the immunization is meant to prevent. Other people 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 past 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.

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

Along with their needed effects, medicines like vinblastine can sometimes cause unwanted effects such as blood problems, loss of hair, and other side effects. These and other effects 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.

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 vinblastine:

More frequent

• 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

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

Other side effects of vinblastine

Some side effects of vinblastine 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 often causes a temporary loss of hair. After treatment with vinblastine has ended, or sometimes even during treatment, normal hair growth should return.

For healthcare professionals

Applies to vinblastine: intravenous powder for injection, intravenous solution.

Cardiovascular adverse events

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, transient abnormalities of ECG related to coronary ischemia
• Frequency not reported: Hypertension, cerebrovascular accident/Raynaud's phenomenon (in patients undergoing combination chemotherapy with vinblastine, bleomycin and cisplatin)^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Alopecia
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Light sensitivity
• Frequency not reported: Skin vesiculation, extravasation during IV injection (may lead to cellulitis, phlebitis, or sloughing), blisters^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Frequency not reported: Acute shortness of breath, bronchospasm^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Frequency not reported: Constipation, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, ileus, vesiculation of the mouth, pharyngitis, diarrhea, hemorrhagic enterocolitis, bleeding from an old peptic ulcer, rectal bleeding, stomatitis^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Frequency not reported: Leukopenia (granulocytopenia), anemia, thrombocytopenia (myelosuppression)^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Frequency not reported: Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Frequency not reported: Bone pain, jaw pain^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Vestibular and auditory damage to the eighth cranial nerve (causing partial or total deafness which may be temporary or permanent)

Very rare (less than 0.01%):

• Frequency not reported: Paresthesias, loss of deep tendon reflexes, peripheral neuritis, headache, convulsions, nystagmus, vertigo, dizziness, numbness^[Ref]

Other

• Frequency not reported: Malaise, weakness, pain in the tumor-containing tissue^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Frequency not reported: Depression^[Ref]

See also:

Frequently asked questions

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

Further information

Vinblastine 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