Cytarabine

DEA Class; Rx

Common Brand Names; Cytosar U, DepoCyt

Pyrimidine antimetabolite anitneoplastic agent; used in the treatment of hematologic malignancies; has limited cytotoxicity in solid tumors; a liposomal product is also available 

Hypersensitivity

Liposomal cytarabine: active meningeal infection

• Anorexia
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Oral/anal inflammation
• Thrombophlebitis
• Bleeding
• Myelosuppression
• Rash
• Fever
• Hepatic dysfunction
• Headache
• Neuropathy
• Chest pain
• Pericarditis
• Pneumonia
• Anemia
• Bleeding
• Leukopenia
• Thrombocytopenia
• Kidney disease
• Infectious disease
• Sepsis
• “Cytarabine syndrome”: fever, myalgia, bone pain, rash, conjunctivitis, malaise
• Skin ulcers
• Cellulitis

Potent bone marrow suppression

Severe and at times fatal CNS, GI, and pulmonary toxicity

Cardiomyopathy with subsequent death reported following experimental high dose therapy with cytarabine in combination with cyclophosphamide when used for bone marrow transplant preparation

Do not use benzyl alcohol-containing solutions IT or in neonates

Avoid pregnancy

Pregnancy Category: D

Lactation: not known if excreted in breast milk, avoid