MedlinePlus Drug Information: Cytarabine

Skip navigation


Other drug names:	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0-9

Cytarabine

(sye tare' a been)

Contents of this page:
About your treatment Other uses for this medicine Precautions	Side effects In case of emergency/overdose Brand names Other names

IMPORTANT WARNING: Return to top

Cytarabine can cause a decrease in the number of blood cells in your bone marrow. Your doctor will order tests before, during, and after your treatment to see if your blood cells are affected by this drug.

About your treatment Return to top

Your doctor has ordered the drug cytarabine to help treat your illness. The drug can be given by injection into a vein or under the skin of your forearm. In special situations, it may be injected into the spinal cord.

This medication is used to treat:

certain types of leukemias

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Cytarabine belongs to a group of drugs known as antimetabolites. It resembles a normal cell nutrient needed by cancer cells to grow. The cancer cells take up cytarabine, which then interferes with their growth.

Other uses for this medicine Return to top

Cytarabine is also used to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

Precautions Return to top

Before taking cytarabine,

tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to cytarabine or any other drugs.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially aminoglycoside antibiotics such as amikacin, gentamicin, netilmicin, and tobramycin; aspirin; digoxin (Lanoxin); flucytosine; and vitamins.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney disease, liver disease, or gout.
you should know that cytarabine may interfere with the normal menstrual cycle (period) in women and may stop sperm production in men. However, you should not assume that you cannot get pregnant or that you cannot get someone else pregnant. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should tell their doctors before they begin taking this drug. You should not plan to have children while receiving chemotherapy or for a while after treatments. (Talk to your doctor for further details.) Use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Cytarabine may harm the fetus.
do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.

Side effects Return to top

Side effects from cytarabine are common and include:

thinned or brittle hair
headache
weakness or achiness
loss of appetite or weight
tingling in the hands or feet

Tell your doctor if the following symptom is severe or lasts for several hours:

fatigue

If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:

painful urination or red urine
black, tarry stools
diarrhea
pain in the abdomen
unusual bruising or bleeding
cough
fever
sore throat
nausea and vomiting
rash
yellowing of the skin or eyes
pain in the joints
muscle weakness, difficulty walking or writing
blurred vision

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/index.html] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

In case of emergency/overdose Return to top

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Brand names Return to top

Cytosar-U®

DepoCyt®

Other names Return to top

Ara-C

Cytosine arabinoside

Last Revised - 04/01/2003
Last Reviewed - 08/01/2007

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. Disclaimer

AHFS^® Consumer Medication Information. © Copyright, 2008. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.