All chemotherapeutic drugs have toxic effects on actively growing tissues, and all have varying degrees of myelosuppression and gastrointestinal reactions. The following table refers only to their side effects that require special attention.
Commonly used abbreviations
Major side effects
Cyclophosphamide
CTX
Bone marrow suppression Hemorrhagic cystitis
Isophosphamide
IFO
Hemorrhagic cystitis Myelosuppression
Cisplatin
DDP
Nephrotoxicity Gastrointestinal reactions
Ototoxicity Neurotoxicity
Carboplatin
CARBO
Bone marrow suppression
Mitoxantrone
Mx
Cardiotoxicity Bone marrow suppression
Amethopterin
MTX
Nephrotoxicity, pulmonary fibrosis, oral ulcers
Agranulocytidine
Ara-C
Liver damage (but reduced by intraperitoneal chemotherapy)
Bleomycin
BLM
Pulmonary fibrosis
Pingyangmycin
PYM
Pulmonary fibrosis
Tysol (paclitaxel)
TAXOL
Allergy, cardiac conduction disorder, peripheral neuritis
Vincristine
VCR
Peripheral neuritis, extravasated skin damage
5-Fluorouracil
5-FU
Diarrhea (dysbiosis – difficult to defend)
Ghostosine (pediculoside)
VP-16
Bone marrow suppression
Hormesin
TOPO
Bone marrow suppression