If your treatment plan includes chemotherapy, you'll get to know some of these drugs, often given in various combinations.

Adriamycin
(Doxorubicin)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects
  · Hair loss
  · Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Mouth sores
  · Discolored urine
  · Skin and nail changes
  · Sensitivity to the sun

IMPORTANT:
This kind of chemo (anthracycline) may affect your heart muscle. Check with your doctor before exercising and weightlifting.

Asparaginase
A-SPARE-a-gin-ase
Given by injection.

• Most common side effects:
  · Changes in blood clotting
  · Fever and chills
  · Allergic reaction
  · Lethargy, sleepiness and confusion

Bleomycin
Blee-oh-MY-sin
(Blenoxane)
Given through IV or injection.

• Most common side effects:
  · Fever and chills
  · Skin and nail changes
  · Loss of appetite
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Changes to the lungs

Busulfan
Byoo-SUL-fan
(Myleran)
Given through IV or taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
  · Hair loss
  · Mouth sores
  · Seizures
  · Skin changes

Carboplatin
KAR-bo-plat-in
(Paraplatin)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Poor appetite
  · May affect your kidneys
  · Will lower your pH ct.
  · Hearing loss
  

Carmustine
kar-MUS-teen
(BCNU)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Changes to the skin

Cis-Platinum
siss-PLAT-in
(Cisplatin)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Nausea and vomiting (may get worse after a few days)
  · Your kidneys may be affected
  · Changes to your skin
  · Hearing loss
  · May cause numbness or tingling in hands or feet

IMPORTANT:
Drink lots of fluid while on this drug. Keep anti-nausea meds nearby!

Cyclophosphamide
Sye-kloe-FOSS-fa-mide
(Cytoxan)
Given through IV or taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Hair loss
  · Bladder irritation
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Poor of appetite

Cytarabine
Sye-TARE-a-been
(ARA-C; Cytosar)
Given by injection, IV or intrathecal (injected into fluid around spinal cord).

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea / vomiting /diarrhea
  · Eye irritation
  · Mouth sores
  · Rash
  · A flu-like effect

Dacarbazine
Da-KAR-ba-zeen
(DTIC-Dome)
Given through IV

• Most common side effects:
  · Nausea and vomiting, poor appetite
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Flu-like effect
  · Hair loss

Daunorubicin
Daw-noe-ROO-bi-sun
(Daunomycin)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Nausea and vomiting.
  · Hair loss
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Mouth sores
  · Discolored urine

IMPORTANT:
This kind of chemo (anthracycline) may affect your heart muscle. Check with your doctor before exercising or weightlifting.

Etoposide
E-TOE-poe-side
(VP-16)
Given through IV or taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Hair loss
  · Nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea
  · Temporary taste alterations
  · Mouth sores
  · Skin changes

5-Flourouracil
floor-oh-YOOR-a-sill
(5-FU)
Given through IV or taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Mouth sores
  · Diarrhea
  · Eye sensitivity
  · Skin changes
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Hair loss
  · Sensitivity of the skin to sunlight.
  · Rashes

Fludarabine
Flu-DAHR-a-been
(Fludara)
Given through IV or taken by mouth

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression

Hydroxyurea
Hye-DROX-ee-yoo-REE-ah
(Hydrea)
Taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Skin changes

Idarubicin
Eye-dah-ROO-bah-sin
(Idamycin)
Given through IV or taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Mouth sores and ulcers
  · Hair loss

IMPORTANT:
This kind of chemo (anthracycline) may affect your heart muscle. Check with your doctor before exercising or weightlifting.

Ifosphamide
Eye-FOSS-fah-mide
(Ifex)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Hair loss
  · Irritation of the bladder
  · Changes to nails

Lomustine
Loe-MUS-teen
(CCNU; CeeNu)
Taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Mouth sores

Mechlorethamine
Me-klor-ETH-a-meen
(Nitrogen Mustard)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Hair loss
  · Rash

Melphalan
MEL-fa-lan
(Alkeran)
Given through IV or taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Mouth sores
  · Diarrhea
  · Hair loss
  · Skin changes

Mercaptopurine
Mer-kap-toe-PYOOR-een
(Purinethol)
Taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Mouth sores
  · Skin changes

Methotrexate
Meth-o-TREX-ate
(Mexate)
Given by mouth, injection, IV or intrathecal (injected into fluid around spinal cord).

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Mouth sores
  · Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
  · Skin changes, rash, hair loss

Mitoxantrone
My-toe-ZAN-trone
(Novatrone®)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Discolored urine
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Mouth sores
  · Hair loss
  · Whites of eyes may have a slight blue tint

This is a blue colored medicine.

IMPORTANT:
This kind of chemo (anthracycline) may affect your heart muscle. Check with your doctor before exercising or weightlifting.

Paclitaxel
PACK-lih-tax-el
(Taxol®)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Mouth sores
  · Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
  · Hair loss
  · Aching or pain in joints and muscles (usually after 2-3 days.
   Gets better within 5-7 days)
  · Skin changes
  · Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
  · Allergic reaction

Procarbazine
Pro-KAR-ba-zeen
(Matulane; Natulan)
Given through IV or taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea and vomiting
  · Alcohol should be avoided while taking this drug
  · Delayed low pH. ct.

Teniposide
ten-IP-oh-side
(Vumon)
Given through IV

• Most common side effects:
  · nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  · fever, chills
  · allergic reaction

6-Thioguanine
Six-thigh-oh-GWAN-neen
(6-TG)
Taken by mouth.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Raised levels of uric acid in the blood
  · Skin changes
  · Mouth sores

Vinblastine
Vin-BLAS-teen
(Velban)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Bone marrow depression (lowering counts)
  · Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
  · Hair loss
  · Mouth sores
  · Constipation
  · Numbness or tingling in hands or feet

Vincristine
Vin-KRIS-teen
(Oncovin; VCR)
Given through IV.

• Most common side effects:
  · Abdominal cramps and constipation
  · Numbness or tingling in hands or feet
  · Jaw pain