OpenClaim

Mechlorethamine Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of mechlorethamine include pruritus, application site pruritus, and application site erythema, based on 2,232 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 4.1% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

#1 Reported: PruritusAll side effects ↓Top Co-Medication: Vincristine-sulfateDrug interactions ↓56% of Reports Are ElderlyDemographics ↓

Mechlorethamine side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for mechlorethamine.

1
Pruritus14.1%315
2
Application Site Pruritus9.8%218
3
Application Site Erythema9.5%213
4
Application Site Pain9.5%212
5
Erythema9.1%204
6
Condition Aggravated8.4%188
7
Off Label Use7.0%156
8
Skin Discolouration6.5%146
9
Rash5.9%131
10
Skin Irritation4.9%109
11
Blister4.7%104
12
Application Site Discolouration4.4%99
13
Application Site Irritation4.4%98
14
Dry Skin4.3%97
15
Drug Ineffective4.1%91

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that mechlorethamine caused these reactions.

Report severity

31.5%Serious702 reports
10.7%Hospitalizations238 reports
6.4%Fatal142 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Mechlorethamine drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside mechlorethamine. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Vincristine-sulfate3.4%76
2
Prednisone3.2%71
3
Procarbazine-hydrochloride2.9%65
4
Doxorubicin-hydrochloride2.5%55
5
Bleomycin-sulfate2.5%55
6
Vinblastine-sulfate2.3%51
7
Dacarbazine2.0%44
8
Etoposide0.7%16
9
Cyclophosphamide0.5%11
10
Brentuximab-vedotin0.5%11
11
Bexarotene0.4%10
12
Methotrexate0.4%8
13
Interferon0.4%8
14
Dupilumab0.3%7
15
Triamcinolone0.3%7

Taken alongside

1
Clobetasol-propionate7.9%176
2
Triamcinolone7.8%175
3
Ergocalciferol6.3%140
4
Aspirin6.2%138
5
Levothyroxine-sodium6.1%137
6
Atorvastatin-calcium5.2%117
7
Bexarotene4.8%107
8
Amlodipine3.6%81
9
Lisinopril3.5%79
10
Metoprolol3.1%70
11
Metformin3.0%68
12
Simvastatin2.9%65
13
Omeprazole2.8%63
14
Fish2.8%63
15
Acetaminophen2.8%63

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports mechlorethamine side effects

45.6% of mechlorethamine adverse event reports involve female patients and 52.0% involve male patients. The largest age group is elderly at 56%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female45.6%
Male52.0%
Unknown2.4%

Age group

< 20.0%
2–110.1%
12–170.4%
18–6443.5%
65+56.0%

What is mechlorethamine used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking mechlorethamine when the adverse event was reported.

Accidental Exposure To ProductAccidental Exposure To Product By ChildB-cell LymphomaCutaneous T-cell LymphomaCutaneous T-cell Lymphoma Stage ICutaneous T-cell Lymphoma Stage IiCutaneous T-cell Lymphoma Stage IiiCutaneous T-cell LymphomaCutaneous T-cell Lymphoma Stage ICutaneous T-cell Lymphoma Stage IiDiffuse Large B-cell LymphomaDry SkinHerpes ZosterHodgkin's DiseaseHodgkin's Disease Nodular Sclerosis Stage Iv

Showing 15 of 46 indications

Mechlorethamine brand names and reporting trend

Quarterly reports (2004–2025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking mechlorethamine with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.

Check my medications