Will taking cycloserine for three months cause leukemia?

Cycloserine (Cycloserine) is a second-line anti-tuberculosis drug and is mainly used clinically for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis or tuberculosis in special locations. Since it requires medium and long-term use, some patients are worried that long-term use may cause hematological malignant diseases, such as leukemia. According to international drug monitoring data and pharmacological studies, there is currently no evidence that there is a causal relationship between cycloserine and the occurrence of leukemia. The main target of cycloserine is to inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis. Its influence is concentrated on bacterial metabolism, rather than directly acting on hematopoietic stem cells. Therefore, from a mechanism perspective, it will not be a direct factor in inducing leukemia.

Adverse effects of cycloserine are more common in the central nervous system, including insomnia, anxiety, depression and even epileptic seizures, and gastrointestinal reactions may also occur. A small number of patients may experience blood changes during long-term treatment, but these are usually mild and reversible and are not equivalent to bone marrow malignant diseases. The occurrence of leukemia often involves genetic mutations, long-term radiation exposure or other high-risk factors, and the three-month treatment cycle of cycloserine is not enough to cause such a serious risk of cell mutation.

It should be noted that some patients may also take other drugs that affect hematopoietic function when receiving combined anti-tuberculosis treatment. In this case, changes in blood routine may be related to the combined effects of multiple drugs. Therefore, regular monitoring of hematology and liver and kidney function during treatment is necessary, but the purpose is mainly to detect reversible adverse reactions early rather than to worry about the occurrence of leukemia. For tuberculosis patients, it is more dangerous to interrupt treatment due to excessive concerns about drug risks, which may lead to recurrence of tuberculosis or an increase in drug-resistant strains.

Reference materials:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycloserine