Bosulif

Bosulif (bosutinib) isn't considered traditional chemotherapy. Traditional chemotherapy are medications that kill fast-growing cells in the body. These medications can kill cancer cells, but also other normal, healthy cells in the body that grow fast (causing side effects commonly linked to chemotherapy). Instead, Bosulif (bosutinib) is called targeted therapy. It only targets and affects cells in the body that have a specific protein called BCR-ABL. And this protein is only found on CML cancer cells. By blocking BCR-ABL on CML cancer cells, Bosulif (bosutinib) stops the cancer from growing and spreading.

In clinical studies, people who took Bosulif (bosutinib) didn't report hair loss. Speak with your provider if you notice hair thinning or hair loss while you're taking this medication. Your provider can examine you for other possible causes of hair loss and suggest ways to prevent more hair loss.

You should take Bosulif (bosutinib) once a day with food, so it might be helpful to pair when you take the medication with a meal that you consistently have. For example, you can take Bosulif (bosutinib) with lunch or with dinner. Be sure to stick to a routine and be consistent with when you take Bosulif (bosutinib) so that the medication works as best it can for you.

It's best to avoid drinking alcohol while you're taking Bosulif (bosutinib). In general, alcohol can raise the risk for certain other cancers besides CML. In addition, both alcohol and Bosulif (bosutinib) can cause liver injury. So drinking alcohol with the medication can put you at higher risk for liver damage. Speak with your provider about lowering how much you drink and stopping drinking if you need guidance doing so.

Take Bosulif (bosutinib) for as long as your provider instructed you to. In general, you'll continue taking the medication as long as it's working well to treat your CML and as long as any side effects you have are mild and tolerable. Your provider might decide to stop treatment if your lab work suggests that the medication isn't working well or if side effects, like diarrhea, nausea, low blood cell counts, and liver damage, become serious. Don’t stop taking Bosulif (bosutinib) without first talking with your provider.

You can take Bosulif (bosutinib) if you have liver or kidney problems, but you'll probably need to start the medication at a lower dose and follow up with your provider more often. Your liver and kidneys help break down Bosulif (bosutinib) in your body. Having liver or kidney problems can mean that your body might have a harder time getting rid of the medication. This can make the medication build up in your body, which can raise your risk for side effects from it. Tell your providers if you have problems with your liver or kidneys so they can adjust your treatment plan accordingly.

It isn’t recommended to take Bosulif (bosutinib) if you're pregnant because it's possible that the medication can cause harm to your unborn baby. If you can get pregnant, you should use reliable birth control while you're taking Bosulif (bosutinib) and for 2 weeks after the last dose. Tell your provider right away if you become pregnant while you're taking this medication.