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Patient Education
Mitoxantrone ( mye-toe-ZAN-trone)
Brand Names
Novantrone® (There may be other brand names for this medication).
How is it
Administered?
MItoxantrone is given as an injection into a vein (intravenous or IV).
What is it Used
For?
Mitoxantrone is used with steroid medications for men with advanced
prostate cancer who did not respond to hormone therapy. It is also used
to treat leukemia (AML), breast cancer, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
How Does it
Work?
Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells divide without
control. Both normal and cancer cells go through cycles that include a
resting phase, active growing phases, and division. Your chemotherapy
schedule is based upon the type of cancer you have, the rate at which
they divide, and the times when each drug is the most likely to be
effective. This is why chemotherapy is typically given in cycles.
The faster cells are dividing (reproducing), the more likely it is that
chemotherapy will damage/kill the cells. Unfortunately, chemotherapy
does not know the difference between cancer cells and normal cells that
reproduce frequently. The cells in your body that are the most likely to be
affected by chemotherapy are the cells that line the digestive tract (mouth,
stomach, intestines), hair follicles, and blood cells. These normal cells will
eventually grow back and be healthy. During treatment, however, you
may experience side effects from the chemotherapy’s effects cells.
Mitoxantrone is an antitumor antibiotic, in a class of drugs called
anthracenediones. It acts upon and interferes with the cells during certain
phases of the cells’ reproductive cycle and slows or stops the growth of
the cancer.
What Should I
Tell My Doctor
Before I Begin
Receiving
Mitoxantrone?
Tell your doctor if you:
 have had an allergic reaction to any mitoxantrone
 have or have ever had any blood-clotting problems, anemia
(decreased amount of red blood cells in the blood), or liver disease
 are pregnant or breastfeeding
This drug may interact with other medications, increasing or
decreasing their effectiveness or causing harmful side effects. Tell
your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription or over-thecounter medications, vitamins, herbal or diet supplements that you
are taking.
© 2010 Roswell Park Cancer Institute
What Are Some
Possible Side
Effects I May
Experience?
 Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and/or diarrhea
 Constipation
 Sores and/or dryness of the mouth, tongue, or throat; bleeding in your
mouth
 Runny or stuffed nose, sneezing, and/or swollen glands in your neck
 Thinning or loss of hair
 Changes in the area around or under fingernails and toenails
 Missed or irregular menstrual periods
 Extreme tiredness and/or weakness
 Headache and/or back pain
How Can I
Manage These
Side Effects?
 Ask your doctor about medication to help prevent or lessen nausea,
vomiting, heartburn, and diarrhea. Eat small, frequent meals.
 Talk to your doctor or nurse about obtaining a wig before you
experience hair loss.
 Keep your bowels moving. Your health care provider may prescribe a
stool softener to help prevent constipation. Drink 2 to 3 quarts of fluid
every 24 hours, unless you were told to restrict your fluid intake. Talk to
your doctor before taking any type of medication for constipation.
 Mouth care is very important. Rinse your mouth with a mixture of ½ tsp
of baking soda in 8 oz of water after every meal and at bedtime. Brush
your teeth and gums often with a soft toothbrush. (Soften it further by
running it under warm water before brushing.)
 Avoid smoking, alcohol, and mouthwashes that contain alcohol.
 If you are dizzy or fatigued, avoid driving, using machines, or doing
anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert.
When Should I
Call the Doctor?
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Let your doctor or nurse know immediately if you experience any of the
following side effects:
 any sign of infection: fever of 100.5F (38C) or higher, chills, cough,
sore throat, pain or burning upon urination; redness or tenderness along
a vein, or at an IV site or wound of any kind
 any sign of an allergic reaction: itching or hives, swelling in your face or
hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness,
trouble breathing, dizziness, or palpitations
 unusual bruising or bleeding: bleeding lasts more than 10-15 minutes or
that causes dizziness; black or bloody stools; vomit that is bloody or that
looks like coffee grounds; blood in your urine or phlegm /mucus,
© 2010 Roswell Park Cancer Institute
unusually heavy menstrual bleeding, spontaneous bleeding from your
gums or nose, or superficial bleeding into the skin that appears as a
rash of pinpoint-sized reddish-purple spots (petechiae)
Call your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you experience any of the
following side effects:
 sores in mouth and on lips
 stomach pain
 decrease in urination
 sore, red eyes or yellow eyes
 blue skin, pain, or redness at place of injection, yellow skin and/or skin
rash
What Else Should
I Know About
Mitoxantrone?

Mitoxantrone injection may cause damage to your heart at any time
during your treatment or months to years after your treatment has
ended. This heart damage can be serious and may cause death and
can occur even in people without any risks for heart disease. Your
doctor will examine you and perform certain tests to check how well
your heart is working before beginning treatment with mitoxantrone
and if you show any signs of heart problems. It is very important that
you keep all your doctor and lab appointments.

This drug may cause bone marrow depression, which can increase
your risk for infection, fatigue, and bleeding. To help avoid infections,
stay away from crowds or people with colds, flu, or other infections.
Wash your hands often. Be careful when handling sharp objects. Stay
away from rough sports or other situations where you could be bruised,
cut, or injured. Use an electric razor. Talk to your doctor before you
have any vaccinations.

Mitoxantrone may increase your risk for developing leukemia (cancer
of the white blood cells), especially when it is given in high doses or
together with certain other chemotherapy medications.

Mitoxantrone is dark blue and may cause the white parts of your eyes
to have a slight blue color for a few days after you receive each dose.
It may also change the color of your urine to a blue-green color for
about 24 hours after you receive a dose.

While you are receiving mitoxantrone, your doctor may want you to
drink extra fluids to help prevent kidney problems.

If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or
dentist that you are using mitoxantrone.

If you have any additional questions about mitoxantrone, please ask
your doctor.
© 2010 Roswell Park Cancer Institute
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