Urological implications of cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide

Cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide are commonly used cytotoxic medications that are indicated in a wide range of conditions, both benign and malignant. Complications of their use include well-recognized acute and chronic urological side-effects. Haemorrhagic cystitis, nephrotoxicity and transitional cell carcinoma can be directly attributed to the use of these agents, and are potentially fatal. Preventive measures can be used in an attempt to minimize the rate of complications. Urological intervention may be required in the acute and long-term management of patients who have received oxazaphosphorine agents. This article reviews current literature, sourced using a MEDLINE search of the keywords with cross-referencing. All articles were reviewed by abstract. Selection of articles was on the basis of randomized controlled trials and articles adding new or significant information.