Ifosfamide

Ifosfamide (IFO), sold under the brand name Ifex among others, is a chemotherapy medication used to treat a number of types of cancer.

[2] Common side effects include hair loss, vomiting, blood in the urine, infections, and kidney problems.

[4] It is given as a treatment for a variety of cancers, including: It is a white powder which, when prepared for use in chemotherapy, becomes a clear, colorless fluid.

The reaction is probably mediated by chloroacetaldehyde, one of the breakdown products of the ifosfamide molecule, which has chemical properties similar to acetaldehyde and chloral hydrate.

The symptoms of ifosfamide encephalopathy can range from mild (difficulty concentrating, fatigue), to moderate (delirium, psychosis), to severe (nonconvulsive status epilepticus or coma).

Previous brain problems and low levels of albumin in the blood increase the likelihood of ifosfamide encephalopathy.