Cytarabine

Registered South African indications:

• Acute myelocytic leukaemia
• Acute lymphocytic leukaemia
• Chronic myelocytic leukaemia
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Meningeal leukaemia

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to the active ingredient or any of its excipients
• Pregnancy
• Pre-existing drug-induced bone marrow suppression (unless the clinician feels that such management offers the most hopeful alternative for the patient)
• Non-malignant disease, except for immunosuppression

Cautions

• Breastfeeding
• Renal impairment
• Hepatic impairment
• Elderly
• Vaccination with a live vaccine should be avoided 

Forms avail. in SA and covered in this monograph: inj

Used for the treatment of

• Acute myelocytic leukaemia
• Acute lymphocytic leukaemia
• Meningeal leukaemia
• Chronic myelocytic leukaemia
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

---

Consult specialist for dosages and regimens

Paed. forms avail. in SA and covered in this monograph: inj

Used for the treatment of

• Acute myelocytic leukaemia
• Meningeal leukaemia
• Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

---

Consult specialist for dosages and regimens

Pregnancy

• FDA Pregnancy Category D

Breastfeeding

• Caution; not recommended

Renal Impairment

• Caution; no dose adjustment recommended

Hepatic Impairment

• Caution; dose adjustment recommended

Elderly

• Caution; no dose adjustment recommended 

Central Nervous System Disorders

• Neurotoxicity
• Neuropathic pain
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Personality change
• Cerebral disorder
• Cerebellar disorder
• Somnolence
• Coma
• Convulsion
• Peripheral motor neuropathy
• Peripheral sensory neuropathy

Cardiovascular Disorders

• Pericarditis
• Thrombophlebitis
• Cardiomyopathy

Respiratory Disorders

• Dyspnoea
• Oropharyngeal pain
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Pulmonary oedema

Gastrointestinal Disorders

• Stomatitis
• Mouth ulceration
• Anal ulcer
• Anal inflammation
• Diarrhoea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Pancreatitis
• Oesophageal ulcer
• Oesophagitis
• Necrotising colitis
• Gastrointestinal necrosis
• Gastrointestinal ulcer
• Pneumatosis intestinalis
• Peritonitis

Hepatobiliary Disorders

• Hepatic abscess
• Hepatic injury
• Hyperbilirubinaemia

Genitourinary Disorders

• Renal impairment
• Urinary retention

Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders

• Decreased appetite

Musculoskeletal Disorders

• Cytarabine syndrome

Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders

• Alopecia
• Rash
• Skin ulcer
• Palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia syndrome
• Urticaria
• Pruritus
• Ephelides
• Skin exfoliation

Immune, Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders

• Sepsis
• Pneumonia
• Infection
• Injection site cellulitis
• Bone marrow failure
• Thrombocytopenia
• Anaemia
• MegaloblasticAnaemia 
• Leukopenia
• Reticulocyte count decreased
• Anaphylactic reaction
• Allergic oedema
• Sepsis

Sensory Disorders

• Conjunctivitis
• Corneal disorder

Others

• Pyrexia
• Chest pain
• Injection site reaction

• Live vaccines
• 5-Fluorocytosine
• Digoxin
• Gentamicin
• Methotrexate

• Full blood count
• Bone marrow
• Hepatic function
• Serum uric acid level  

Cytarabine, a pyrimidine nucleoside analogue, inhibits the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid. Its actions are specific for the S phase of the cell cycle. lt also inhibits DNA polymerase, resulting in a decrease in DNA replication and repair.

Injection (per ml) 20mg

• Cytarabine faulding (Pharmaplan)
• P&U Cytarabine CSV (Pfizer) (Discontinued: 29/06/2018)

Injection (per ml) 100mg

• Cytarabine 100mg/1ml Fresenius (Fresenius Kabi SA)
• Cytarabine faulding (Pharmaplan)
• Laracit (Teva Pharma)

Injection (per vial) 100mg

• Cytosar (Pfizer) originator

Injection (per vial) 500mg

• Cytosar (Pfizer) originator

Injection (per 10ml) 500mg

• Cytarabine 500mg/5ml Fresenius (Fresenius Kabi SA)
• Laracit (Teva Pharma)