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vincristine

Generic Oncovin
Used for Leukemia
Used for Leukemia

Vincristine is a chemotherapy medication that helps treat many different kinds of cancer. This includes acute leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, and other cancers. The medication works as a microtubule inhibitor, or “vinca alkaloid.” It stops the cancer from growing by destroying cancer cells in the body. Vincristine is given as an infusion through the vein at a medical center. It's common to have constipation as a side effect. You can also feel numbness, pain, and tingling in the fingers and toes. Vincristine is usually given with other cancer treatments.

Reviewed by:
reviewer
Julia Lee, PharmD, BCOP
reviewer
Cydnee Ng, PharmD
Last reviewed on September 2, 2025
BasicsSide effectsPros & consPharmacist tipsFAQsWarningsDosageInteractionsCostContraindicationsReferencesPricesMedicare
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What is Vincristine?

What is Vincristine used for?

How Vincristine works

Vincristine is a type of chemotherapy medication called a microtubule inhibitor. People also call it a “vinca alkaloid.” It works by blocking microtubules. These are parts of cells that help them grow and divide.

By blocking microtubules, vincristine stops fast-growing cells, like cancer cells, from dividing. This helps stop the cancer from growing and spreading.

Are you looking for information on vinblastine or vinorelbine instead?

Drug Facts

Common BrandsOncovin, Vincasar PFS (brand names no longer available)
Drug ClassMicrotubule inhibitor
Controlled Substance ClassificationNot a controlled medication
Generic StatusLower-cost generic available
AvailabilityPrescription only
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What are the side effects of Vincristine?

The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.

Common Side Effects

  • Nerve pain
  • Numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes (peripheral neuropathy)
  • Feeling very weak
  • Constipation
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach pain or cramps
  • Hair loss
  • Trouble walking or moving
  • Problems with urination

Other Side Effects

  • Pain or redness at the infusion site
  • Feeling dizzy
  • Lower appetite
  • Mouth sores
  • Jaw or throat pain
  • Bone or muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Trouble balancing
  • Rash
  • Changes in blood pressure
  • Low red blood cell counts (anemia)
  • Low white blood cell counts
  • Low platelets

Serious Side Effects

Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
  • Problems with the digestive system: severe constipation, stomach pain, can’t pass gas, bloating, fever, chills
  • Problems with the nervous system: numbness, tingling, or pain in the fingers or toes; vision, movement, balance, or hearing problems; confusion
  • Lung problems: sudden or worsening cough, having trouble catching your breath, fast breathing
  • Liver problems: pain in the upper right side of your stomach, yellow skin or eyes
When do Vincristine possible side effects begin and end?
Time passed since treatment started:
HOURS
DAYS
WEEKS
MONTHS
Hair loss
Numbness, tingling, or pain in fingers or toes
Risk of constipation
If a line continues to the right, you'll likely keep experiencing this side effect once it starts.

Source: DailyMed

The following side effects have also been reported

Along with their needed effects, medicines like vincristine can sometimes cause unwanted effects such as blood problems, nervous system problems, loss of hair, and other side effects. These and others are described below. Also, because of the way these medicines act on the body, there is a chance that they might cause other unwanted effects that may not occur until months or years after the medicine is used. Discuss these possible effects with your doctor.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

Pain or redness at place of injection

Rare

Black, tarry stools

blood in urine or stools

cough or hoarseness

fever or chills

pinpoint red spots on skin

unusual bleeding or bruising

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Blurred or double vision

constipation

difficulty in walking

drooping eyelids

headache

jaw pain

joint pain

lower back or side pain

numbness or tingling in fingers and toes

pain in fingers and toes

pain in testicles

stomach cramps

swelling of feet or lower legs

weakness

Less common

Agitation

bed-wetting

confusion

convulsions (seizures)

decrease or increase in urination

dizziness or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position

hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)

lack of sweating

loss of appetite

mental depression

painful or difficult urination

trouble in sleeping

unconsciousness

Rare

Sores in mouth and on lips

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

Bloating

diarrhea

loss of weight

nausea and vomiting

skin rash

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. This medicine often causes a temporary loss of hair. After treatment with vincristine has ended, or sometimes even during treatment, normal hair growth should return.

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

pros-and-cons

Pros and cons of Vincristine

thumbs-up

Pros

Typically given once a week

A part of recommended treatment plans for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

thumbs-down

Cons

Given as an infusion through the vein

Can cause nerve problems and hair loss

pharmacist-tips

Pharmacist tips for Vincristine

pharmacist

  • If you feel pain, burning, or warmth where the IV is during the infusion, tell the nurse right away. These could be signs that vincristine has leaked out from the vein and is irritating the area around it. The nurse can pause your infusion to stop this from happening. They might also put a warm pack on the area to help you feel better.

    • Let your oncology care team know if you feel numbness, tingling, or pain in your fingers or toes. This problem is called peripheral neuropathy, and it often bothers people who take vincristine. Your oncologist might adjust your treatment plan to help with this problem.

      • Vincristine can cause constipation. It’s a good idea to keep track of your bowel movements while taking this medication. Your oncology care team can work with you to come up with a plan to help prevent constipation.

        • If you haven’t had a bowel movement for a longer time than usual while taking vincristine, call your care team right away. Also reach out to them if you have stomach pain, can’t pass gas, or have a fever. These can be signs of more serious problems with your gut.

          • Give your care team a list of all medications, supplements, and herbal products you take and plan to take. Vincristine can interact with some medications, which can be harmful. For example, the antifungal fluconazole (Diflucan) can raise your risk of nerve problems from vincristine. It’s important your care team checks vincristine is safe for you to take.

            • If you can become pregnant, use reliable birth control while taking vincristine. This medication can harm an unborn baby, so it’s important not to get pregnant during treatment. Talk to your oncologist if you’re thinking about getting pregnant. And let them know right away if you do become pregnant while taking this medication.

              faqs

              Frequently asked questions about Vincristine

              Is vincristine a high-risk drug?
              Yes, vincristine is a high-risk or high-alert medication. This means it has a high risk of causing serious harm if it’s not used the right way. Vincristine should only be given as an infusion through the vein (an IV infusion). It can be fatal if it’s given with a lumbar puncture (into the spinal fluid). To keep you safe, your care team will take steps to make sure you receive vincristine in the right way. For example, they’ll put the medication in an infusion bag instead of a syringe. Most traditional chemotherapy medications are high risk because they can also harm normal, healthy cells in the body. Talk to your oncologist if you’re worried about taking this medication.
              What’s the most common side effect of vincristine?
              Nerve problems are a very common side effect of vincristine. Usually, this can feel like numbness, tingling, or pain in the fingers or toes. But vincristine can also affect the nerves in the digestive system, causing constipation. Tell your oncology team if you have numbness, tingling, pain, or constipation that bother you a lot. They can help you with these side effects.
              Is vincristine chemotherapy?
              Yes, vincristine is a kind of traditional chemotherapy. More specifically, it’s called a microtubule inhibitor or vinca alkaloid. It works by interfering with the microtubules in your cells. Microtubules are parts of your body’s cells that help them grow and divide. When vincristine interferes with this process, fast-growing cells like cancer cells can’t grow and spread as well.
              Does vincristine cause hair loss?
              Yes, vincristine can cause hair loss (alopecia). This can happen from your head and from other parts of the body. Note that it’s possible you might not lose all your hair during treatment. If you do lose your hair though, it’ll likely grow back within a few months after you stop taking vincristine. But it might grow back in a different color or texture. Talk to your care team if you’re worried about hair loss with chemotherapy. They can give you tips and resources to help manage this side effect.
              What flower is vincristine made from?
              Vincristine was first found in a type of periwinkle plant (Catharanthus roseus, or Vinca rosea). Today, vincristine is made in a lab from chemicals instead of plants. That’s because each periwinkle plant has a very small amount of vincristine. It would take a lot of plants and be too expensive to get enough medication that way.
              What’s the difference between vincristine and vinblastine?
              Vincristine and vinblastine are chemotherapy medications that work in the same way to fight cancer. But they’re used for different kinds of cancer. The main side effects they cause are also different. Vincristine is known for causing nerve problems, like making your fingers and toes feel numb and tingly. This can also happen with vinblastine, but it’s usually less common and not as severe. On the other hand, vinblastine is more likely to lower your white blood cell count. This can put you at risk of a serious infection. Talk to your oncologist to compare the two medications.
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              What are the risks and warnings for Vincristine?

              Vincristine can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.

              risk-warning

              Pain and tissue damage around the infusion site

              Vincristine can sometimes leak into the tissues around the IV line. This can cause pain and damage to the skin and area around it. That’s why a trained healthcare professional will help with the infusion. They’ll help to make sure the IV line is placed properly.

              Let your nurse know right away if you feel any pain, burning, or warmth during your infusion. They’ll stop the infusion and check the infusion site. They might give hyaluronidase injections around the area or put a warm pack over it to help.

              risk-warning

              For IV use only

              Vincristine is only given as an infusion through the vein. It should never be given as an injection into the spine, or intrathecally. It’s dangerous and it can damage the central nervous system, causing paralysis or other problems that can be fatal.

              risk-warning

              Nerve problems

              • Risk factors: History of problems affecting the nervous system | Taking other medications that can cause nerve damage

                Vincristine can cause damage to the nerves. It can affect the nerves in your fingers and toes, leading to numbness, tingling, or pain. You might start noticing this side effect within 1 week of starting vincristine.

                Let your care team know if you feel any numbness, tingling, or pain in your fingers or toes. They can help you manage these nerve problems. Depending on how much it affects your daily life, your oncologist can help you decide what to do next. They might suggest taking a break from vincristine or stopping it altogether. This can help prevent nerve problems from getting worse.

                Other nerve problems can include trouble with vision, movement, balance, thinking, or hearing. But these aren’t usually common. Still, tell your care team if this happens so they can help you.

                risk-warning

                Problems with the digestive system, including constipation

                Vincristine often causes constipation. It’s important to prevent this from happening during treatment. Drink lots of water and eat fiber-rich foods to help. Your oncologist might suggest taking certain medications to prevent constipation too. If you’re having fewer bowel movements than normal or straining to have a bowel movement, talk to your care team. They can help with this side effect.

                In rare cases, some people have had serious tissue damage in the gut while taking vincristine. Call your care team right away if you have sudden severe stomach pain, fever, chills, or bloating. These can be signs of serious gut issues.

                risk-warning

                Low blood cell counts

                • Risk factors: History of bone marrow damage

                  Some people might have low blood cell counts after getting their vincristine infusion. This can include a low white blood cell count, low red blood cell count, and low platelets.

                  Your oncology team will check your blood cell counts while you’re taking vincristine. They’ll probably do a blood draw to check this before each infusion. If your counts are too low, your care team might pause treatment or lower your vincristine dose.

                  risk-warning

                  Liver problems

                  • Risk factors: Children

                    Although rare, some people taking vincristine with other chemotherapy had liver damage. This can sometimes be life-threatening.

                    Most people don’t feel any symptoms with mild liver damage. But your oncologist can see signs of liver damage on blood tests. Your oncologist might ask you to do blood tests regularly while taking vincristine. This helps make sure your liver is okay. If your liver labs are abnormal, your oncologist might pause or stop your treatment while they look into it.

                    Call your oncology care team right away if you do notice signs of liver damage. These include pain in the upper right side of the stomach, yellow skin, or yellow eyes.

                    risk-warning

                    Lung problems

                    • Risk factors: History of lung problems | Taking vincristine together with mitomycin-C

                      It’s rare, but some people taking medications like vincristine had sudden trouble breathing after their infusion. Some also felt their chest get tight. This usually happens when vincristine is given with another cancer medication called mitomyin-C. It can happen minutes to hours after getting vincristine. It can also happen up to 2 weeks after getting mitomycin-C.

                      Some people taking vincristine have also had a different lung problem called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This happens when not enough oxygen can get into the lungs and then into the blood. It can be very serious.

                      If you have sudden breathing problems, call your oncology team right away. Watch for sudden coughing, trouble breathing, and fast breathing. Your oncologist might pause or stop treatment while they figure out what’s happening.

                      risk-warning

                      Harm to an unborn baby

                      Animal studies show that vincristine can harm an unborn baby if given during pregnancy. It could even cause a miscarriage, or losing the baby early.

                      If you can get pregnant, use effective birth control while taking vincristine. Tell your oncologist right away if you become pregnant during treatment.

                      dosage

                      Vincristine dosage forms

                      Typical dosing for Vincristine

                      The vincristine dose and how often you need to get it will be different for everyone. It depends on the cancer and your specific treatment plan.

                      • Adults

                        • Your oncologist will calculate the dose based on your body surface area (BSA, in m2 units). They’ll take into account your height and weight.

                        • The usual approved dose is 1.4 mg/m2 infused through the vein once a week in each treatment cycle.

                      • Children

                        • The oncologist will calculate the dose based on your child’s weight (in kilograms or kg).

                        • Weigh 10 kg (22 lbs) or less: The usual approved dose is 0.05 mg/kg infused through the vein once a week.

                        • Weigh more than 10 kg (22 lbs): The usual approved dose is 1.5 mg/m2 to 2 mg/m2 infused through the vein once a week.

                      interactions

                      Interactions between Vincristine and other drugs

                      Vincristine may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Vincristine. Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.

                      Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

                      • Boceprevir

                      Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

                      Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

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                      Vincristine contraindications

                      Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Vincristine will not be safe for you to take.

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                      References

                      Best studies we found

                      American Cancer Society. (2024). Hair loss (alopecia).

                      American Cancer Society. (2024). Neutropenia (low white blood cell counts).

                      American Cancer Society. (2024). Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count).

                      View All References (19)

                      American Cancer Society. (2025). Chemotherapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).

                      American Cancer Society. (2025). Rhabdomyosarcoma.

                      American Cancer Society. (2025). Types of chemotherapy drugs.

                      American Cancer Society. (2025). What are Wilms tumors?

                      American Society of Hematology. (n.d.). Leukemia.

                      Awosika, A. O., et al. (2023). Vincristine. StatPearls.

                      Boschi, R., et al. (2012). Extravasation of antineoplastic agents: Prevention and treatments. Pediatric Reports.

                      Chen, R. J., et al. (2024). Vinca alkaloid toxicity. StatPearls.

                      Dhyani, P., et al. (2022). Anticancer potential of alkaloids: A key emphasis to colchicine, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, vinorelbine and vincamine. Cancer Cell International.

                      Hospira, Inc. (2024). Vincristine sulfate injection, solution [package insert]. DailyMed.

                      Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2018). High-alert medication survey results lead to several changes for 2018.

                      Institute for Safe Medication Practices. (2018). ISMP list of high-alert medications in acute care settings.

                      Kumar, A., et al. (2013). Isolation, purification and characterization of vinblastine and vincristine from endophytic fungus Fusarium oxysporum isolated from Catharanthus roseus. Public Library of Science One.

                      MedlinePlus. (2018). Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

                      MedlinePlus. (2023). Acute respiratory distress syndrome.

                      National Cancer Institute. (2024). Neuroblastoma treatment (PDQ®)–Patient version.

                      National Cancer Institute. (2025). Hodgkin lymphoma treatment (PDQ®)–Patient version.

                      National Comprehensive Cancer Network. (2025). Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.

                      National Comprehensive Cancer Network. (2025). Hodgkin lymphoma in adults.

                      GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.
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