Busulfan (patient information)

IMPORTANT WARNING

Busulfan 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

Your doctor has ordered the drug busulfan to help treat your illness. The drug can be taken by mouth in the form of tablets.

This medication is used to treat:

chronic myelogenous leukemia

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

Busulfan is in a class of drugs known as alkylating agents; it slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. 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.

Other uses for this medicine

Busulfan is also used in the treatment of disorders which involve the way certain blood cells multiply (myeloproliferative disorders) such as severe thrombocytosis and polycythemia vera. Busulfan also has been used in combination with other drugs to treat myelofibrosis. Busulfan has been used in very high doses and in combination with other drugs to destroy the bone marrow in preparation for a bone marrow transplant. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.

Precautions

Before taking busulfan:

tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to busulfan or any other drugs.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially aspirin, itraconazole (Sporanox), thioguanine, and vitamins.
tell your doctor if you have a seizure disorder.
you should know that busulfan 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. Busulfan may harm the fetus.
you should know that busulfan may cause ovarian failure and may stop girls from reaching puberty. Talk to your doctor about the risk of infertility caused by busulfan.
do not have any vaccinations (e.g., measles or flu shots) without talking to your doctor.
be aware that busulfan has been associated with the development of other types of cancers. Talk with your doctor about the potential risk of developing a new cancer.

Side effects

Minor Side Effects

Side effects from busulfan are common and include:

thinned or brittle hair
darkened and dry skin
loss of appetite or weight
diarrhea
tiredness

Tell your doctor if either of these symptoms is severe or lasts for several hours:

mouth blistering
fatigue

Severe Side Effects

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

unusual bruising or bleeding
black, tarry stools
red urine
cough
congestion
difficulty breathing
fever
dizziness
confusion
chills
shortness of breath
sore throat
nausea and vomiting
rash
seizures

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/report.htm] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Storage conditions

Keep busulfan in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

In case of emergency/overdose

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.

Special instructions

Drink plenty of fluids and urinate frequently during your treatment.

Other names

Busulphan