Can you take dasatinib while breastfeeding?
What LactMed says
The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.
Although one breastfed infant apparently experienced no adverse effects during maternal use of dasatinib, no long-term data are available. Because dasatinib and its metabolite are more than 90% bound to plasma proteins, the amounts in milk are likely to be low. However, there is little published experience with dasatinib during breastfeeding, and an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant. National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend avoiding breastfeeding during dasatinib therapy and the manufacturer recommends withholding breastfeeding until 2 weeks following the last dose.
Quoted from Dasatinib — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 19, 2021.
What LactMed would consider instead
LactMed ends this record by naming the drugs it would consider in place of dasatinib. Whether any of them fits depends on what you are treating — this is the database’s list, not a recommendation from us.
How much dasatinib gets into breastmilk
Maternal Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
A woman with chronic myeloid leukemia received dasatinib 100 mg daily throughout pregnancy and continuing postpartum, apparently while breastfeeding her infant (extent not stated). No adverse reactions were reported in her infant.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take dasatinib while breastfeeding?
Although one breastfed infant apparently experienced no adverse effects during maternal use of dasatinib, no long-term data are available. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What can I take instead of dasatinib while breastfeeding?
LactMed lists Imatinib as alternate drugs to consider. That is the database's own list for this drug — whether any of them suits you depends on what you are treating.
Does dasatinib pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for dasatinib are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking dasatinib?
LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.
More on dasatinib
LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.