What happens when you take cyclophosphamide?
They may give you food or drink supplements. Cyclophosphamide can affect the way the heart works but only usually when it is given in high doses. It is usually temporary. You may have tests to see how well your heart is working before, during and sometimes after treatment.
Is cyclophosphamide a cell-cycle drug?
Cyclophosphamide is classified as an alkylating agent. Alkylating agents are most active in the resting phase of the cell. These drugs are cell-cycle non-specific. There are several types of alkylating agents. Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments.
What chemo drugs cause hair loss?
Some chemotherapy drugs result in only minimal hair loss, though these are often combined with drugs that cause more hair loss. These include: Paraplatin (carboplatin) Xeloda (capecitabine) Gliadel (carmustine) Platinol (cisplatin) Fludara or Oforta (vludarabine) Trexall, Otrexup, Rasuvo (methotrexate)
How long does hair loss from chemotherapy last?
They can tell you what to expect. Fortunately, most of the time hair loss from chemotherapy is temporary. You can expect to regrow your hair three to six months after your treatment ends, though your hair may temporarily be a different shade or texture. What should you expect?
What is the most common side effect of cyclophosphamide?
Cyclophosphamide injectable solution often causes nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. It can also cause dizziness, blurred vision, and trouble seeing, which could affect your ability to drive or use machines. This drug can also cause other side effects.
What are the side effects of cyclophosphamide?
Cyclophosphamide may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:nausea.vomiting.loss of appetite or weight.abdominal pain.diarrhea.hair loss.sores on the mouth or tongue.changes in skin color.More items...•
Is cyclophosphamide a strong chemo drug?
It was discovered that — in addition to its usefulness in cancer — cyclophosphamide also has a significant ability to suppress the immune system. Thus, the medicine is very effective in the treatment of immunologically–mediated diseases, including some forms of vasculitis.
Which chemotherapy drugs cause hair loss?
Chemotherapy drugs that tend to cause hair loss include:adriamycin.cyclophosphamide.dactinomycin.daunorubicin.docetaxel.doxorubicin.etoposide.fluorouracil.More items...•
How will I feel after cyclophosphamide?
A common side effect of cyclophosphamide is feeling or being sick. Your doctor may prescribe anti-sickness medication to control this. Because of its effects on the immune system, cyclophosphamide can make you more likely to develop symptoms of a cold or to pick up infections.
How toxic is cyclophosphamide?
Clinically, damage to the bladder (haemorrhagic cystitis), immunosuppression (when not desired) and alopecia are the most significant toxicities associated with cyclophosphamide. Cardiotoxicity is also a possibility when very high doses are given.
When do cyclophosphamide side effects start?
Nausea and vomiting: more common with larger doses, usually beginning 6-10 hours after therapy.
Does cyclophosphamide make you tired?
This effect can cause anemia, decrease your body's ability to fight an infection, or cause easy bruising/bleeding. Tell your doctor right away if you develop any of the following symptoms: unusual tiredness, pale skin, signs of infection (such as sore throat that doesn't go away, fever, chills), easy bruising/bleeding.
What are the benefits of cyclophosphamide?
Cyclophosphamide is used to treat cancer of the ovaries, breast, blood and lymph system, and nerves (mainly in children). Cyclophosphamide is also used for retinoblastoma (a type of eye cancer mainly in children), multiple myeloma (cancer in the bone marrow), and mycosis fungoides (tumors on the skin).
Is there a chemo treatment that doesn't cause hair loss?
No treatment exists that can guarantee your hair won't fall out during or after chemotherapy. Several treatments have been investigated as possible ways to prevent hair loss, but none has been absolutely effective, including: Scalp cooling caps (scalp hypothermia).
What chemo does not cause hair loss?
Immunotherapy drugs for cancer, at least checkpoint inhibitors, do not usually cause hair loss, though oftentimes these drugs are used along with chemotherapy.
What percentage of chemo patients lose their hair?
Approximately 65% of individuals undergoing chemotherapy will experience chemotherapy-induced hair loss, which is usually temporary and completely reversible when therapy ends. The use of molecularly targeted agents in cancer treatment has also been associated with hair loss rates as high as 60%.
What is the trade name for Cyclophosphamide?
Cyclophosphamide. (sye-kloe-FAHS-fah-mide) Trade Names: Cytoxan®, Neosar®. Cyclophosphamide is the generic name for the trade name drug Cytoxan or Neosar. In some cases, health care professionals may use the trade name Cytoxan or Neosar when referring to the generic drug name cyclophosphamide. Drug Type: Cyclophosphamide is an anti-cancer ...
How is cyclophosphamide given?
It is usually given through a vein by injection or infusion (intravenous, IV) or by mouth in tablet form, depending upon diagnosis. Cyclophosphamide is also approved to be given by a shot into a muscle (IM), into the abdominal lining (intraperitoneal, IP), or into the lining of the lung (intrapleural).
Why is chemotherapy given in cycles?
The scheduling of chemotherapy is set based on the type of cells, rate at which they divide, and the time at which a given drug is likely to be effective. This is why chemotherapy is typically given in cycles. Unfortunately, chemotherapy does not know the difference between the cancerous cells and the normal cells.
How does chemotherapy work?
Usually, the drugs work by damaging the RNA or DNA that tells the cell how to copy itself in division.
How long does it take for cyclophosphamide to cause nausea?
Nausea and vomiting: more common with larger doses, usually beginning 6-10 hours after therapy. Poor appetite. Discoloration of the skin or nails. The following are less common side effects (occurring in 10-29%) for patients receiving cyclophosphamide:
Does chemo kill hair?
Chemotherapy will kill all cells that are rapidly dividing. The "normal" cells most commonly affected by chemotherapy are the blood cells, the cells in the mouth, stomach and bowel, are the hair follicles; resulting in low blood counts, mouth sores, nausea, diarrhea, and/or hair loss.
Does cyclophosphamide cause low blood count?
There are many options to minimize or prevent the side effects of cyclophosphamide. The following side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for patients taking cyclophosphamide: Low blood counts: Your white and red blood cells and platelets may temporarily decrease.
How is cyclophosphamide given?
How cyclophosphamide is given. You will be given cyclophosphamide in the chemotherapy day unit or during a stay in hospital. A chemotherapy nurse will give it to you. Cyclophosphamide can be given in combination with other chemotherapy drugs. During treatment you usually see a cancer doctor, a chemotherapy nurse or a specialist nurse ...
Where to put cyclophosphamide?
a fine tube that is put into a vein in your arm and goes up into a vein in your chest ( PICC line) as tablets swallowed whole with a glass of water. Your nurse can give you cyclophosphamide as a slow injection or drip (infusion) into your cannula or line.
Can a drug leak outside the vein?
The drug may leak outside the vein. If this happens it can damage the surrounding tissue. This is called extravasation. Extravasation is not common but if it happens it is important to treat it quickly. Tell your nurse straight away if you have any stinging, pain, redness or swelling around the vein.
Can a pharmacist give you chemo?
If your blood results are okay, the pharmacist will prepare your chemotherapy. Your nurse will tell you when your treatment is likely to be ready. Your nurse will give you anti-sickness ( anti-emetic) drugs before the chemotherapy. The chemotherapy drugs can be given through:
How TC works
These chemotherapy drugs destroy quickly dividing cells, such as cancer cells.
How you have TC
You have taxotere and cyclophosphamide into your bloodstream (intravenously).
When you have TC
You usually have docetaxel and cyclophosphamide as cycles of treatment. This means that you have these drugs and then a rest to allow your body to recover.
Tests
You have blood tests before and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood. They also check how well your liver and kidneys are working.
Side effects
We haven't listed all the side effects. It's very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects, but you might have some of them at the same time.
Common side effects
These side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
Occasional side effects
These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (1 to 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:
What causes hair loss?
In addition to medications, illness, surgery, or dietary changes (low-protein diets or very low-calorie diets) may lead to hair loss. Thyroid disease (either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism) may cause hair loss and may occur with cancer treatment (such as chemotherapy-induced hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, ...
How long does it take for hair to grow back after chemo?
Hair re-growth typically begins within three months of concluding chemotherapy. When your hair does grow back, many people find they have what's been coined " chemo curls .". If your hair was straight prior to chemotherapy, it will likely become straight again, but this process can take up to several years.
How does chemotherapy work?
Chemotherapy drugs work systemically (throughout the body) by interfering with the division and growth of rapidly growing cells. While these drugs can be effective in eliminating cancer cells, they also damage normal cells that divide rapidly. This includes hair follicles (leading to hair loss), cells in the digestive tract ...
Which cells are responsible for hair loss?
This includes hair follicles (leading to hair loss), cells in the digestive tract (leading to nausea and vomiting), and cells in bone marrow (leading to fewer red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets). 2 . The keratinocytes in the hair follicle divide faster than many malignant cells, and they have a good blood supply ...
Does chemo cause hair loss?
Chemo More Likely to Cause Hair Loss. Chemotherapy medications with the highest risk of causing hair loss (or at least significant hair thinning) in many people include: 4 . Alkylating agents: Cytoxan or Neosar (cyclophosphamide), Ifex (ifosfamide), Myleran or Busulfex (busulphan), Thioplex (thiotepa).
Do intravenous drugs cause hair loss?
The route of administration: Intravenous drugs are more likely to cause hair loss than oral drugs. The drugs or combination of drugs you receive: Some are more likely to cause hair loss than others, and receiving a combination of drugs increases the risk. Your individual makeup: Some people are more likely to lose hair than others, ...
Can cancer cause hair loss?
In addition to chemotherapy, some targeted therapies and hormonal therapies for cancer can cause hair changes as well, such as thinning, curling, and dryness.
How long does hair loss last after cancer treatment?
Your hair loss will continue throughout your treatment and up to a few weeks afterward. Whether your hair thins or you become completely bald will depend on your treatment. People with cancer report hair loss as a distressing side effect of treatment.
How to keep hair healthy after chemo?
Continue your gentle hair strategies throughout your chemotherapy treatment. Use a soft brush. Wash your hair only as often as necessary. Consider using a gentle shampoo.
What is a cooling cap for chemo?
Scalp cooling caps (scalp hypothermia). During your chemotherapy infusions, a closely fitted cap that's cooled by chilled liquid can be placed on your head to slow blood flow to your scalp. This way, chemotherapy drugs are less likely to have an effect on your hair.
How long does it take for hair to fall out after a sex?
Hair usually begins falling out two to four weeks after you start treatment. It could fall out very quickly in clumps or gradually. You'll likely notice accumulations of loose hair on your pillow, in your hairbrush or comb, or in your sink or shower drain. Your scalp may feel tender.
How long does it take for hair to regrow after chemo?
Fortunately, most of the time hair loss from chemotherapy is temporary. You can expect to regrow your hair three to six months after your treatment ends, though your hair may temporarily be a different shade or texture.
How to get rid of hair fall out?
Consider cutting your hair. Short hair tends to look fuller than long hair. So as your hair falls out, it won't be as noticeable if you have short hair. Also, if you have long hair, going short might help you make a better transition to total hair loss. Plan for a head covering.
How to keep hair from fading?
Don't bleach, color or perm your hair — this can weaken it. Air-dry your hair as much as possible and avoid heating devices such as curling irons and hot rollers. Strengthening your hair now might make it more likely to stay in your head a little longer during treatment.
Re: Weekly paclitaxel (taxol) and hair loss
Had both Taxotere and Taxol and lost my hair both times but came back.
Re: Weekly paclitaxel (taxol) and hair loss
I had chemo twice. ( Metostatic breast cancer) I had Taxotere first time .Taxhol second time.all my hair grew back but it fell out completely both times. But yes it's suppose to grow back. It won't be the same color probably but it is usually very soft.
Re: Weekly paclitaxel (taxol) and hair loss
Several months gap from chemo and when you start Taxol again did your hair fall out or just thinned? I had two AC and my hair fell off. Then there was a two months gap as I did the surgery. My hair started to grow a little. But I have to now continue Taxol weekly. I am afraid that my new hair will fall out. If so will it grow back again?
Re: Weekly paclitaxel (taxol) and hair loss
Cdc1811 thank you for commenting. Yes I do have a good support system. But have a lot of other issues to deal with. I'm in a small mobile home. Was just me and my brother after husband died. I needed my daughter very much but had to take in her family of five. Needless to say barely one person helping me with bills and not that much.
Re: Weekly paclitaxel (taxol) and hair loss
Thank you for your kind words. I did great through the first six then I got lymphedema and that is really a pain to keep under control. I am now about 18 treatments in and lost both big toenails and n.ow I think its affecting my fingernails. Have neuropathy in hands and feet but vitamin b6 helps with that. I'm getting tired all the time.
Re: Weekly paclitaxel (taxol) and hair loss
I lost my husband of 30 years 3 years ago and actually I'm happy that this didn't happen while he was alive as it would have upset him so much. Sometimes it's easier going through stuff on your own rather than having to cope with other people's worries which is why I never told my elderly parents when I had breast cancer back in the 80s.
Re: Weekly paclitaxel (taxol) and hair loss
Lovely Hopeful61, my heart goes out to you, I've been married 45 years and can't imagine how I would cope without him by my side going through this, I hope you have a close family to stand by you. Have you had any other side effects from the taxol in your hands or feet? I've just finished EC and should start paclitaxol on the 16th January, but I'm desperate to know what side effects people have experienced from it. Try to stay strong, I think we all suffer with our own demons when we have cancer.