Busulfan

Conditions Treated

Busulfan is used treat a certain type of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML; a type of cancer of the white blood cells). Busulfan is in a class of medications called alkylating agents. It works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells in your body.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Busulfan may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• nausea
• diarrhea
• loss of appetite or weight
• constipation
• sores in the mouth and throat
• dry mouth
• headache
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• feeling unusually anxious or worried
• dizziness
• swelling of the face, arms, hands, feet, ankles or lower legs
• chest pain
• joint, muscle or back pain
• skin rash
• itching and dry skin
• darkened skin
• hair loss

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

• black, tarry stools
• red urine
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• difficulty breathing
• changes in vision
• vomiting
• stomach pain
• seizures

Busulfan may cause ovarian failure and may stop girls from reaching puberty. Talk to your doctor about the risk of infertility caused by busulfan. Talk to your doctor about the risks of receiving this medication.Busulfan may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.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/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Busulfan comes as a tablet to take by mouth once a day. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have. Take busulfan at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take busulfan exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor may adjust your dose of busulfan depending on your response to treatment and any side effects that you experience. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment. Do not stop taking busulfan without talking to your doctor.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before taking busulfan, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to busulfan, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in busulfan tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: acetaminophen (Tylenol); certain chemotherapy medications such as bendamustine (Treanda), carmustine (BiCNU, Gliadel Wafer), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), ifosfamide (Ifex), lomustine (CeeNU), melphalan (Alkeran), procarbazine (Mutalane), temozolomide (Temodar), thioguanine; clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo); cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Gengraf, Neoral); itraconazole (Sporanox); medications for mental illness and nausea; phenytoin (Dilantin); or meperidine (Demerol). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with busulfan, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list. tell your doctor if you have previously received radiation therapy or treatment with other chemotherapy medications or if you have or have ever had seizures or a head injury. Also tell your doctor if you have taken busulfan before, but your cancer did not respond to the medication.