Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
This is a highly toxic medicine and is rarely used to treat
sarcoidosis. It is given only to people who have serious forms of sarcoidosis, such as sarcoidosis in the central nervous system (
neurosarcoidosis).
This medicine is more likely to cause nausea and reduce your white blood cell levels than either methotrexate or
azathioprine. Your doctor should check your white blood cell levels often while you are taking this medicine to make sure that you have a high-enough level to fight infection.
If you are pregnant, you should not take this medicine.
Cyclophosphamide can be given intravenously (through one of your veins), which lessens some of its side effects, but this doesn't reduce the risk of cancer.
Local Therapies Used in Sarcoidosis Treatment
Some medicines used to treat sarcoidosis are taken by mouth. Others are applied locally to an affected area.
Local therapy is the safest way to treat sarcoidosis. The medicine is applied directly to the affected area. As a result, only small amounts of the medicine reach other parts of your body.
Medicines used for local therapy include:
- Eye drops
- Inhaled medicines for your lungs
- Skin creams.
Medicine can be used locally only if the affected area is easily reached. For instance, inhaled steroids can ease coughing and wheezing in the upper airways, but they don't seem to relieve these symptoms when the affected lung tissue is deep within your chest.
Talk with your doctor about these sarcoidosis treatments and the side effects that may occur.
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