Cystitis Due to Cytoxan: Case Report

The document reports a case of severe cystitis in a 20-year-old woman with Hodgkin's disease following therapy with cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), an anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agent. This case serves as a reminder of the potential urinary complications associated with Cytoxan, which had only one previous mention in the literature. The patient had been treated with various therapies before starting on Cytoxan, which was later discontinued due to its ineffectiveness and disease progression. She developed severe dysuria, frequency, and bladder spasm, which were not relieved by catheter drainage. Cystoscopic examination revealed a contracted bladder with irregular masses and marked injection, especially along the floor and the trigone. Autopsy confirmed the findings of marked chronic cystitis without evidence of metastatic Hodgkin's disease. The document also discusses the development of cyclophosphamide, its metabolism, and its known side effects, including bladder damage, leukopenia, anemia, gastrointestinal distress, and alopecia. It notes that bladder damage can be prevented by promoting brisk diuresis after administration and that urinary complications can occur in patients receiving the drug for more than two weeks.