Busulfan is an anti-cancer medication that was approved to be used on 2 April 1999.

Busulfan is used to treat 

• Hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia
• Polycythaemia vera (a type of cancer that causes an increase in red blood cells)
• Thrombocythemia (increased number of platelets in the blood)
• Myelofibrosis (type of blood cancer where scar tissues are formed in bone marrow)
• Hemoglobinopathies (a genetic disorder that produces abnormal hemoglobin)
• Brain Malignancies

Busulfan is available as a tablet that is to be swallowed whole with water. The available dose is 2mg.

Busulfan is an injection that is to be given only under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional. The available dose is 6omg. 

The common side effects that are likely to occur while you are on the treatment with Busulfan are thalassemia, skin rashes, hair loss, patches of dark skin, blood in urine, decrease in the number of blood cells and platelets, nausea and vomiting, jaundice, infertility, pneumonia Syndrome and itching.

Before starting treatment with Busulfan, inform your doctor if you have undergone radiotherapy recently, or have had gout. Report to your doctor if you have liver, kidney or lung conditions, or thalassemia before starting treatment with this medication. 

Both men and women are advised to take effective contraception while being treated with this medication. Busulfan is not be taken if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant without consulting the doctor. Seek advice from your healthcare provider if you are already pregnant before starting treating treatment with this medication. Do not breast feed while being treated with Busulfan. Inform your doctor if you are lactose intolerant before starting treatment with this medication.

Inform your doctor about any medication or supplement you are taking before initiating treatment with Busulfan. During or after administration of the injection, if you face itchy skin, fever, excessive sweating, rigors or chills, or difficulty in breathing, inform your doctor immediately. upon noticing any signs of an infection, fever, or any unexpected bruising and bleeding, consult your doctor and seek medical attention immediately. Busulfan may have an effect on sperms and eggs. Hence, seek advice you’re your doctor about any fertility concern you may have before using this medicine.

1. Aspen, Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC) (Revised on July 2020), (Accessed on 11th January 2023), https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/4653/pil#gref
2. Anton Wellstein, Giuseppe Giaccone, Michael B. Atkins, and Edward A. Sausville, Pharmacotherapy of Neoplastic disease: cytotoxic drugs, Goodman & Gilman’s Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 13th Edition, 2018, 1167-1174.
3. Buggia I, Locatelli F, Regazzi MB, Zecca M. Busulfan. Ann Pharmacother. 1994 Sep;28(9):1055-62. doi: 10.1177/106002809402800911. PMID: 7803883.
4. Drug Approval Package, U.S. FDA, https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/nda/99/20954.cfm

The drug information on this page is not a substitute for medical advice; it is meant for educational purposes only. For further details, consult your doctor about your medical condition to know if you are eligible to receive this treatment.