Stockholder Protection Rights Plan (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012	Aug. 01, 2011
Stockholder Protection Rights Plan [Abstract]
Number of right for each outstanding share	1
Proportion of right entitles to purchase series A preferred stock	1/10,000th
Rights exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 30	$ 4.48
Number of business days after announcement rights are not exercisable for certain persons	10 days
Beneficial ownership percentage of company outstanding shares of common stock by acquiring person (in hundredths)	15.00%
Percentage of company outstanding shares of common stock by acquiring person (in hundredths)	50.00%

Beneficial ownership percentage of company outstanding shares of common stock by acquiring person.

No definition available.

Name:	cytr_BeneficialOwnershipPercentageOfCompanyOutstandingSharesOfCommonStockByAcquiringPerson
Namespace Prefix:	cytr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The Rights are generally not exercisable for certain business days after an announcement by the Company that a person or group of affiliated persons (an "Acquiring Person") has acquired certain beneficial ownership.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cytr_NumberOfBusinessDaysAfterAnnouncementRightsAreNotExercisableForCertainPersons
Namespace Prefix:	cytr_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Directors declared a distribution of certain right ("Rights") for each outstanding share of the Company's common stock to stockholders of record at the close of business.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cytr_NumberOfRightForEachOutstandingShare
Namespace Prefix:	cytr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of company outstanding shares of common stock by acquiring person.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cytr_PercentageOfCompanyOutstandingSharesOfCommonStockByAcquiringPerson
Namespace Prefix:	cytr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company on certain proportion of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cytr_ProportionOfRightEntitlesToPurchaseSeriesPreferredStock
Namespace Prefix:	cytr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	cytr_StockholderProtectionRightsPlanAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	cytr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The exercise price of each class of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(4))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph i

-Subparagraph 4

-Article 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:perUnitItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant