A daily targeted pill for CML. Its defining risk is a build-up of fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion) — which can happen at any point, even years in, and cause breathlessness or cough, so report those promptly. It can also lower blood counts (especially platelets) and, rarely, affect the lung blood pressure.
Oral dasatinib taken once daily, continuously. Its signature risk is FLUID AROUND THE LUNGS (pleural effusion), which can occur at ANY time — early or after years — and can recur; it is NOT an early-only or cycle-based effect. Dasatinib also lowers blood counts more than some other CML pills and can affect bleeding.
Get help straight away — this is true on any regimen, on any day.
A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher during treatment can mean a
serious infection while your blood counts are low. Call your team or go to the ER — do not
wait it out.
Also urgent: trouble breathing or chest pain · swelling of the face, lips or throat ·
new confusion or fainting · shaking chills · not being able to keep fluids down.
This is standing guidance shown to everyone. Nothing on this page is based on anything
about you, and nobody is monitoring you.
What is reported
This regimen is taken continuously, so effects are described in the terms their sources use rather than by cycle day.
Fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion)
ANY time — early or after years; recurrent
Dasatinib's signature effect: fluid can collect around the lungs, causing breathlessness, cough, or chest discomfort. Crucially, this can happen at ANY time — early or after years of treatment — and can come back. It's managed by pausing/reducing the dose, sometimes with a water pill, steroid, or draining the fluid. Report new breathing symptoms promptly.
Call your team urgently: New or worsening breathlessness, cough, or chest discomfort — contact your team.
reported by about 28% (cumulative over years) of people; severe in 3% · from Dasatinib
Low platelets (thrombocytopenia)
first months
Dasatinib lowers platelets prominently, mostly in the first months. Watch for easy bruising or bleeding; your team checks counts frequently early on.
Call your team: Bleeding that won't stop, or black/tarry stools.
severe in 22% · from Dasatinib
Neutropenia
first months; usually recovers
A drop in infection-fighting white cells, mostly in the first months, then usually recovering.
Call your team urgently: A temperature of 100.4°F (38.0°C) or higher — an emergency.
severe in 29% · from Dasatinib
Bleeding tendency
any time on treatment
Dasatinib can affect platelet function and raise bleeding risk (nosebleeds, easy bruising, rarely more serious), compounded when platelets are low. Use caution with blood thinners and report unusual bleeding.
Call your team urgently: Bleeding that won't stop, black/tarry stools, or coughing/vomiting blood.
reported by about 8% of people; severe in 1% · from Dasatinib
Diarrhea
Loose stools, usually mild. Hydration and anti-diarrheal medicine as advised help.
reported by about 22% of people; severe in 1% · from Dasatinib
Headache
Common and usually mild; simple pain relief helps.
Uncommonly, dasatinib can raise the blood pressure in the lung arteries, causing breathlessness, fatigue, or swelling. It can occur any time after starting and may partly reverse on stopping the drug. Report unexplained breathlessness.
Call your team urgently: Unexplained or worsening breathlessness or fainting — contact your team.
reported by about 5% of people; severe in 1% · from Dasatinib
Fatigue
Tiredness that usually eases over time. Pace activities and rest.
reported by about 11% of people · from Dasatinib
Where this comes from
S1. Dasatinib (Sprycel) FDA label, newly-diagnosed CP-CML 100mg daily + DASISION trial (2010) — PMID 20525993 / FDA label
S2. Cortes JE, DASISION 5-year final results (2016) — PMID 27217448
A window appears here only where a retrievable document ties it to a drug in
this regimen. Where nothing could be found, the window was removed rather than estimated —
so a missing time is an honest gap, not an oversight.
Oncura