What is a key benefit of maintaining hydration during cyclophosphamide treatment?

Maintaining hydration during cyclophosphamide treatment is particularly important because it helps to prevent hemorrhagic cystitis. Cyclophosphamide is an alkylating agent used in cancer chemotherapy that can lead to the accumulation of its toxic metabolite, acrolein, in the bladder. This metabolite can irritate the bladder lining, resulting in inflammation, bleeding, and painful urination, a condition known as hemorrhagic cystitis.

By ensuring adequate hydration, patients dilute the concentration of acrolein and promote better renal clearance of the drug and its metabolites. This can significantly reduce the risk of bladder toxicity and the development of hemorrhagic cystitis, which can be a serious and uncomfortable side effect of treatment. Thus, hydration serves as a crucial preventive measure to safeguard the bladder health of individuals undergoing therapy with cyclophosphamide.