Amount of operating loss carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32559-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Expiration date of each operating loss carryforward included in operating loss carryforward, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwardsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis=us-gaap_EarliestTaxYearMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis=us-gaap_LatestTaxYearMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=cytr_UnrestrictedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Earliest Tax Year [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Expiration date	Dec. 31, 2016
Latest Tax Year [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Expiration date	Dec. 31, 2034
Federal [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Operating loss carryforwards		$ 281.6
Federal [Member] \| Unrestricted [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Operating loss carryforwards		219.3
State [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Operating loss carryforwards		173.7
State [Member] \| Unrestricted [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Operating loss carryforwards		$ 173.7