List of adverse effects of imatinib

This is a list of adverse effects of the anti-cancer [...] imatinib, sorted by frequency of occurrence.

Very common

Very common (>10% incidence) adverse effects include:

  • Myelosuppression (see below for details)
  • HeadAche
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Oedema
  • Abdominal pain
  • Dyspepsia (indigestion)
  • Periorbital oedema
  • Dermatitis
  • Eczema
  • Rash
  • Muscle spasms or cramps
  • Muscle aches
  • Joint pain
  • Bone pain
  • Fatigue
  • Weight gain

Common

Common (1–10% incidence) adverse effects include:

  • Weight loss
  • Insomnia
  • Dizziness
  • Paraesthesias
  • Taste disturbance
  • Hypoaesthesia
  • Lacrimination
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Dry eye
  • Blurred vision
  • Flushing
  • Haemorrhage
  • Dyspnoea
  • Epistaxis (nosebleeds)
  • Cough
  • Flatulence
  • Abdominal distension
  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux
  • Constipation
  • Dry mouth
  • Gastritis
  • Increased hepatic enzymes
  • Itchiness
  • Dry skin
  • Erythema
  • Alopecia (hair loss)
  • Night sweats
  • Photosensitivity reaction
  • Joint swelling
  • Weakness
  • Fever without an infectious cause
  • Anasarca
  • Chills
  • Rigors

Uncommon

Uncommon (0.1–1% incidence) adverse effects include:

  • Herpes zoster
  • Herpes simplex
  • Nasopharyngitis
  • Pneumonia
  • Sinusitis
  • Cellulitis
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Influenza
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Sepsis
  • Hypokalaemia
  • Increased appetite
  • Hypophosphataemia
  • Decreased appetite
  • Dehydration
  • Gout
  • Hyperuricaemia
  • Hypercalcaemia
  • Hyperglycaemia
  • Hyponatraemia
  • Depression
  • Libido decreased
  • Anxiety
  • Migraine
  • Somnolence
  • Syncope
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Memory impairment
  • Sciatica
  • Restless leg syndrome
  • Tremor
  • Cerebral haemorrhage
  • Eye irritation
  • Eye pain
  • Orbital oedema
  • Scleral haemorrhage
  • Retinal haemorrhage
  • Blepharitis
  • Macular oedema
  • Vertigo
  • Tinnitus
  • Hearing loss
  • Palpitations
  • Tachycardia
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Pulmonary oedema
  • Hypertension
  • Haematoma
  • Subdural haematoma
  • Peripheral coldness
  • Hypotension
  • Raynaud's phenomenon
  • Pleural effusion
  • Pharyngolaryngeal pain
  • Pharyngitis
  • Stomatitis
  • Mouth ulceration
  • Gastrointestinal haemorrhage
  • Eructation
  • Melaena
  • Oesophagitis
  • Ascites
  • Gastric ulcer
  • Haematemesis
  • Cheilitis
  • Dysphagia
  • Pancreatitis
  • Hyperbilirubinaemia
  • Hepatitis
  • Jaundice
  • Pustutular rash
  • Contusion
  • Increased sweating
  • Urticaria
  • Ecchymosis
  • Increased tendency to bruise
  • Hypotrichosis
  • Skin hypopigmentation
  • Dermatitis exfoliative
  • Onychoclasis
  • Folliculitis
  • Petechiae
  • Psoriasis
  • Purpura
  • Skin hyperpigmentation
  • Bullous eruptions
  • Joint and/or muscle stiffness
  • Renal pain
  • Haematuria
  • Renal failure
  • Increased urinary frequency
  • Gynaecomastia
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Menorrhagia
  • Irregular menstruation
  • [...] dysfunction
  • Nipple pain
  • Breast enlargement
  • Scrotal oedema
  • Chest pain
  • Malaise
  • Blood creatinine increased
  • Blood creatine phosphokinase increased
  • Blood lactate dehydrogenase increased
  • Blood alkaline phosphatase increased

Myelosuppression more commonly occurs in CML patients and includes: thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. Thrombocytopenia usually lasts for 2-3 weeks and neutropenia for 3-4 weeks.