Chemotherapy drugs

The following list details specific chemotherapy drugs and some of their side effects; however, each child may experience symptoms differently and at different times of the treatment. Some side effects may occur early on (days or weeks) and some side effects may occur later (months or years) after the chemotherapy has been given. The side effects listed are not all the possible problems that may occur. Always consult your child's physician if your child is feeling anything unusual.

  • L-asparaginase, Elspar (usually given IV)
    • Drowsiness can occur during and continue for several weeks after treatment
    • Nausea, vomiting, and cramping
    • Allergic reaction: rash or increased breathing effort
    • Increased blood sugar that is reversible but may require intervention
  • Busulfan, Myleran (usually given orally)
    • Fatigue, tiredness
    • Dry mouth and lips
    • Decreased appetite
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Rash and itching
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Darkened skin coloration
    • Lung damage
  • Carboplatin (Paraplatin) (usually given IV)
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Confusion
    • Ringing in ears and hearing loss
    • Kidney damage
  • Cisplatin (cis-platinum, Platinol, Platinol AQ) (usually given IV)
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Allergic reaction: rash and increased breathing effort
    • Nausea and vomiting that usually occurs for about 24 hours
    • Ringing in ears and hearing loss
    • Fluctuations in blood electrolytes
    • Kidney damage
  • Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar) (can be given IV or orally)
    • Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain
    • Decreased appetite
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Bladder damage
    • Fertility impairment
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Allergic reaction
    • Lung disease with high doses
    • Secondary malignancies (rare)
  • Cytarabine (ara-C, cytosine, arabinoside, Cytosar-U) (usually given IV and/or directly into the spinal column)
    • Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
    • Decreased appetite
    • Abdominal pain
    • Mouth ulcers several days after treatment
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Allergic reaction
    • Fever
    • Inflammation of the eyes
    • Reversible liver damage
  • Daunorubicin (Cerubidine), idarubicin (Idamycin), doxorubicin (Adriamycin PFS, Adriamycin RDF, Rubex) (usually given IV)
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Fever and chills
    • Mouth ulcers
    • Red colored urine (not bleeding but a drug effect)
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Headache
    • Heart failure
  • Etoposide (VePesid) (may be given orally or IV), teniposide (Vumon) (usually given IV)
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Allergic reaction
    • Mouth ulcers
    • Low blood pressure
    • Decreased appetite
    • Diarrhea and abdominal pain
  • Hydroxyurea (Hydrea) (usually given orally)
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Decreased appetite
    • Diarrhea
    • Drowsiness
    • Fever and chills
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Darkening of skin pigmentation
  • Ifosfamide (Ifex) (usually given IV)
    • Confusion, irritability, and/or hallucinations
    • Seizures
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Kidney damage
    • Darkening of skin pigmentation
  • Mercaptopurine (6-MP, Purinethol) (usually given orally)
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Decreased appetite
    • Mouth ulcers
    • Diarrhea and digestive tract ulcers
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Darkening of skin pigmentation
    • Skin rash
    • Liver damage (reversible)
  • Methotrexate (Folex, Mexate, Rheumatrex Dose Pack) (may be given IV, into the spinal column, or orally)
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Mouth ulcers
    • Skin rashes
    • Dizziness, headache, or drowsiness
    • Kidney damage (with a high-dose therapy)
    • Liver damage
    • Seizures
  • Thioguanine (6-TG, Lanvis) (usually given orally)
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Stomatitis
    • Diarrhea
    • Decreased appetite
    • Decrease in blood cell counts (after several weeks)
    • Rash
    • Liver damage
  • Thiotepa (Thioplex) (usually given IV, directly into the spinal column, may be instilled in bladder, or injected into the tumor)
    • Headache, dizziness, fatigue, or blurred vision
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Allergic reaction
    • Fever
  • Topotecan (Hycamtin) (given IV), irinotecan (Camptosar) (given IV)
    • Diarrhea
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Nausea and vomiting
  • Vincristine (Oncovin, Vincasar PFS) (usually given IV), vinblastine (Velban, Velbe) (usually given IV)
    • Seizures
    • Weakness
    • Loss of reflexes
    • Jaw pain
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Hair loss (reversible)
    • Diarrhea or constipation, abdominal cramping
    • Decrease in blood cell counts
    • Difficulty breathing