Cytarabine
Description
Cytarabine is an anti-cancer medicine that contains cytarabine. It is used in the treatment of various types of blood and bone marrow cancers such as acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia (a type of cancer with excess immature white blood cells) and acute lymphocytic leukaemia (a type of cancer that affects white blood cells). It should only be used under medical supervision.
Cytarabine shows some side effects like hair loss, skin and mouth ulcers, rash, anaemia, sepsis (blood poisoning), low white blood cell count, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, pneumonia, infections, fever, anal ulcers, abnormal liver function and stomatitis (Inflammation of the mouth). Cytarabine does not cause drowsiness but it still may cause side effects that affect your ability to drive. Inform your doctor immediately if you feel sudden chills, notice unusual bruising or bleeding and black and tarry stools.
Cytarabine is not recommended for use in elderly patients. Inform your doctor if you have liver or kidney diseases before receiving this medicine. Close monitoring of liver function and the blood cell count is necessary while receiving this medication as it is known to affect the liver and bone marrow. Cytarabine is not recommended for use in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Cytarabine
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Rash
- Fever
- Elevated Liver Enzymes
- Bleeding
- Headache
- Chest pain
- Joint pain
- Anal ulcers
- Skin ulcers
- Hair loss
- Anemia
Uses of Cytarabine
What is it prescribed for?
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Acute Non Lymphocytic Leukemia
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for Cytarabine to show its action within 15 minutes after administration.
- Duration of effectCytarabine remains active in the body for the duration of 12-24 hours.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported.
- Usage in pregnancy?Cytarabine is not recommended for use in pregnancy, because it may harm your foetus.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Cytarabine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women because it may cause undesirable effects in infants.
Allergy
Avoid receiving Cytarabine if you have a known allergy to cytarabine, or any other inactive ingredients present in this formulation. Inform your doctor, if you notice any symptoms of serious allergic reactions such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness or breathing difficulty, etc.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Cytarabine is not recommended for use in pregnancy, because it may harm your foetus.
Breast-feeding
Cytarabine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women because it may cause undesirable effects in infants.
General warnings
Use in Elderly
Cytarabine is not recommended to use in elderly patients as they can not tolerate drug toxicity.
Liver Disease
Cytarabine should be used with caution if you have liver diseases due to the increased risk of adverse effects. Your doctor may monitor your liver function regularly while receiving this medicine. Your doctor may adjust the dose if required based on your clinical conditions.
Driving or Operating machinery
Cytarabine may cause dizziness in some patients. It is advised that you do not perform any activities such as driving a vehicle or operating machinery if you experience any dizziness during treatment with this medicine.
Bone marrow suppression
Cytarabine should be used with caution since it may increase the risk of myelosuppression (decreased bone marrow function). Regular monitoring of blood cell count is necessary while receiving this medicine. Your doctor may adjust the dose if required based on your clinical conditions.
Missed Dose
Since Cytarabine is usually administered by a qualified healthcare professional in the clinical/hospital setting, the likelihood of missing a dose is very low.
Overdose
Since Cytarabine is administered in the hospital setting by a qualified healthcare professional, the likelihood of an overdose is very less. However, emergency medical treatment will be initiated by the doctor if an overdose is suspected.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Thalidomide
Adalimumab
Digoxin
Methotrexate
Cyclophosphamide
Naltrexone
Vinblastine
Disease interactions
Infections
Cytarabine should be used with extreme caution if you have a history of recurrent infections due to the increased risk of myelosuppression (a condition in which bone marrow activity is decreased). Initiation of therapy with this medicine in patients with active infections is not recommended. Your doctor may monitor your condition while on treatment with this medicine if you have active infections.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Cytarabine is usually administered in the clinical/hospital setting under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional. Follow all the instructions given by your doctor after receiving this injection.
Inform the doctor if you have a known allergy to Cytarabine. Report all your current medicines as well as your medical conditions to the doctor before receiving this medicine.
Use reliable contraception methods to prevent pregnancy if you are using Cytarabine.
Consult your doctor if you notice any fever, sore throat, rash or severe diarrhoea which may be signals of infection caused by using this medicine.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Cytarabine prevents the growth and spread of cancer cells in your body by interfering with the growth of DNA and RNA of the cancer cells.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Antimetabolites
Schedule
Schedule H
Pfizer.com. 2021. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 23 August 2021].
Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Cytarabine Injection Solution 100 mg/ml - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 23 August 2021].
Ebs.tga.gov.au. 2021. TGA eBS - Product and Consumer Medicine Information Licence. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 23 August 2021].
Information on this page was last updated on 27 Aug 2021
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.