Pronunciation: boe SUE tin ib

Brand: Bosulif

What is the most important information I should know about bosutinib?

Bosutinib is used to treat a type of blood cancer called Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

Do not use bosutinib if you are pregnant or breast-feeding a baby.

Take bosutinib with food.

Do not break or crush a bosutinib tablet. The medicine from a crushed or broken pill can be dangerous if it gets on your skin. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how to safely handle and dispose of a broken tablet.

Stop using bosutinib and call your doctor at once if you have fever, easy bruising or bleeding, shortness of breath, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), swelling or rapid weight gain, blood in your stools, or severe and ongoing vomiting, stomach pain, or diarrhea.

What is bosutinib?

Bosutinib interferes with the growth of some cancer cells.


Bosutinib is usually given after other similar medications have been tried without success.

Bosutinib may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking bosutinib?

You should not use bosutinib if you are allergic to it.

To make sure bosutinib is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

  • liver disease;
  • kidney disease;
  • heart disease;
  • epilepsy, migraine headaches; or
  • asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or other breathing disorder.

Do not use bosutinib if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. Use effective birth control while you are using this medication and for at least 30 days after your treatment ends.

It is not known whether bosutinib passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine. After you stop taking bosutinib, ask your doctor how long to wait before breast-feeding again.

How should I take bosutinib?


Take with food.



You should not stop using bosutinib without your doctor's advice.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?


What happens if I overdose?


What should I avoid while taking bosutinib?

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with bosutinib and lead to unwanted side effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.


What are the possible side effects of bosutinib?


Stop using bosutinib and call your doctor at once if you have:

  • severe or ongoing nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, or diarrhea;
  • swelling in your hands or feet, rapid weight gain;
  • swelling or fluid build-up in the lungs --anxiety, sweating, pale skin, severe shortness of breath, pain when you breathe, feeling short of breath while lying down, wheezing, gasping for breath, cough with foamy mucus, chest pain, fast or uneven heart rate.

Your cancer treatments may be delayed if you have certain side effects.

Common side effects may include:

  • feeling tired;
  • nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain;
  • fever;
  • rash; or
  • pale skin, bruising or bleeding.


What other drugs will affect bosutinib?

Many drugs can interact with bosutinib. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:

  • cyclosporine;
  • imatinib;
  • nefazodone;
  • St. John's wort;
  • an antibiotic --azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, telithromycin;
  • heart or blood pressure medicine --amiodarone, captopril, carvedilol, diltiazem, dronedarone, felodipine, nicardipine, quinidine, ranolazine, verapamil;
  • antiviral medicine to treat hepatitis or HIV/AIDS --atazanavir, boceprevir, cobicistat, delavirdine, efavirenz, fosamprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, telaprevir;
  • seizure medicine --carbamazepine, phenytoin;
  • stomach acid reducers --dexlansoprazole, esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, rabeprazole; or
  • tuberculosis medicine --isoniazid, rifampin.

This list is not complete and many other drugs can interact with bosutinib. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about bosutinib.



Copyright 1996-2015 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.03. Revision date: 12/16/2015.
