Advise women of childbearing potential to avoid pregnancy. Contraindicated in presence of known infectious disease or in those who have had previous anaphylactic reactions to mechlorethamine. Weigh potential risk and discomfort from use of drug in patients with inoperable neoplasms or in terminal stage of disease against limited obtainable gain, which varies with nature and status of disease treated. Routine use of mechlorethamine in all cases of widely disseminated neoplasms in not advised. Bone and neurologic tumors respond poorly to drug.
Results are unpredictable in disseminated and malignant tumors of different types.
Because therapy may contribute to extensive, rapid development of amyloidosis, use only if foci of acute and chronic suppurative inflammation are absent. Use of drug may predispose patient to bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. Transient cardiac irregularities may occur with intrapericardial use. Death has been reported with intracavitary use. Acute side effects such as nausea and vomiting are usually mild.