Summary
Commonly reported side effects of bleomycin include: pulmonary toxicity. Continue reading for a comprehensive list of adverse effects.
Applies to bleomycin: injection powder for solution.
Warning
Injection route (Powder for Solution)
Pulmonary fibrosis is the most severe toxicity for bleomycin and its most frequent presentation is pneumonitis occasionally progressing to pulmonary fibrosis. Its occurrence is higher in elderly patients and in those receiving greater than 400 units total dose, but pulmonary toxicity has been observed in young patients and those treated with low doses. A severe idiosyncratic reaction consisting of hypotension, mental confusion, fever, chills, and wheezing has been reported in lymphoma patients treated with bleomycin.
Serious side effects of Bleomycin
Along with its needed effects, bleomycin may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Also, because of the way these medicines act on the body, there is a chance that they might cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used. These delayed effects may include certain types of cancer, such as leukemia. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking bleomycin:
More common
- Fever and chills (occurring within 3 to 6 hours after a dose)
Less common
- Confusion
- faintness
- wheezing
Rare
- Chest pain (sudden severe)
- weakness in arms or legs (sudden)
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur while taking bleomycin:
More common
- Cough
- shortness of breath
- sores in mouth and on lips
Other side effects of Bleomycin
Some side effects of bleomycin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
- Darkening or thickening of skin
- dark stripes on skin
- itching of skin
- skin rash or colored bumps on fingertips, elbows, or palms
- skin redness or tenderness
- swelling of fingers
- vomiting and loss of appetite
Less common
- Changes in fingernails or toenails
- weight loss
Bleomycin may cause a temporary loss of hair in some people. After treatment has ended, normal hair growth should return, although it may take several months.
Side effects that affect your lungs (for example, cough and shortness of breath) may be more likely to occur if you smoke.
After you stop using this medicine, it may still produce some side effects that need attention. During this period of time, Check with your doctor immediately if you notice the following side effects:
- Cough
- shortness of breath
For Healthcare Professionals
Applies to bleomycin: injectable powder for injection.
Respiratory
Very common (10% or more): Interstitial pneumonia (10%), pulmonary fibrosis (10%)
Common (1% to 10%): Wheezing[Ref]
Dermatologic
Very common (10% or more): Sclerosis of the skin (41%), pigmentation disorder (41%), alopecia (30%), nail deformation (11%), nail discoloration, skin hypertrophy, flagellate dermatitis
Common (1% to 10%): Rash, urticaria, exfoliative dermatitis[Ref]
Skin toxicity is a relatively late manifestation, usually developing in the 2nd and 3rd week of treatment, after a cumulative dose of 150 to 200 units.[Ref]
Gastrointestinal
Very common (10% or more): Nausea (15%), vomiting (15%), stomatitis (13%)
Common (1% to 10%): Angular cheilitis
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Diarrhea[Ref]
Cardiovascular
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Shock, vein wall hypertrophy, venous stenosis
Frequency not reported: Myocardial infarction, hypotension, Raynaud's phenomenon, embolism, thrombosis, peripheral ischemia, cerebral infarction, chest pain[Ref]
Other
Very common (10% or more): Fever/pyrexia (40%), malaise (16%)[Ref]
Local
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Injection site induration
Frequency not reported: Injection site thrombosis (IV), injection site pain[Ref]
Oncologic
The most frequent mutations produced in mammalian cells are large multilocus deletions, which probably arise by misrepair of (DNA) double strand breaks.[Ref]
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Tumor pain[Ref]
Hematologic
Common (1% to 10%): Hemorrhage
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Leucopenia
Frequency not reported: Pancytopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, neutropenia
Postmarketing reports:
Immunologic
Frequency not reported: Sepsis
Musculoskeletal
Very common (10% or more): Scleroderma, chills
Metabolic
Very common (10% or more): Anorexia (29%), weight loss (29%)
Psychiatric
Common (1% to 10%): Mental confusion
Genitourinary
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Oliguria, dysuria, pollakiuria, urinary retention, polyuria, feeling of residual urine
Hepatic
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hepatocellular injury
Nervous system
Very common (10% or more): Rigors (40%)
Common (1% to 10%): Headache
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dizziness
