What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Carmustine and pentostatin
Pentostatin's FDA label of July 1, 2026 names carmustine in its drug interactions section; the carmustine labels PlainMeds reads (2) do not name pentostatin. The pentostatin label: “Acute pulmonary edema and hypotension, leading to death, have been reported in the literature in patients treated with pentostatin in combination with carmustine, etoposide and high dose cyclophosphamide as part of the …”
Check it at the source: the carmustine FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 9, 2026, Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc.); the pentostatin FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 1, 2026, Hospira, Inc.).
What does the carmustine label say about pentostatin?
Carmustine's label (effective April 9, 2026) and its 1 other brand-application label do not name pentostatin in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (CARMUSTINE), Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc. d/b/a Avet Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective April 9, 2026 (SPL set b9b47082-32ee-4abb-a7b2-52292894d3f8), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the pentostatin label say about carmustine?
Pentostatin label, drug interactionsAcute pulmonary edema and hypotension, leading to death, have been reported in the literature in patients treated with pentostatin in combination with carmustine, etoposide and high dose cyclophosphamide as part of the ablative regimen for bone marrow transplant.
Source: FDA drug label (Nipent), Hospira, Inc., effective July 1, 2026 (SPL set 674e0e6d-46ed-4868-9196-04019d667716), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Carmustine | Pentostatin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma | Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | n/a | n/a |
| Shortage now | No current entry | In shortage |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once