What is Doxorubicin?

 

Doxorubicin is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat certain types of cancer of the bladder, breasts, lungs, stomach and ovaries, Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as well as some types of leukemia, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia.

 

Doxorubicin may also be used against soft tissue or bone sarcomas, neuroblastoma, Wilms' tumor, uterine, endometrial and cervical cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, adrenal cancer, liver cancer, Kaposi's and the Ewing sarcoma, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

 

How should Doxorubicin be taken?

 

Doxorubicin is administered intravenously, typically once every 21 or 28 days. The duration of treatment depends on the other drugs taken, the response to treatment and the type of cancer that is being treated.

 

Side effects associated with Doxorubicin

 

The possible adverse effects of doxorubicin may include:

 

  • Nausea
  • Vomit
  • Sores in the mouth and throat
  • Loss of appetite and weight
  • Weight gain
  • Stomach ache
  • Diarrhea
  • Increased thirst
  • Tiredness or weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Hair loss
  • Nail problems
  • Red eyes, watery, irritated or itchy
  • Eye pain
  • Pain, burning or tingling in the hands or feet
  • Reddish urine (for 1 or 2 days after treatment)

 

You should immediately contact a doctor if you experience:

 

  • Urticaria
  • Skin rash
  • Itch
  • Difficulty breathing or difficulty swallowing
  • Convulsions

 

Contraindications and warnings associated with the use of Doxorubicin

 

Doxorubicin may increase the risk of developing leukemia, particularly if it is administered at high doses or in combination with radiotherapy or some forms of chemotherapy. It can also interfere with the menstrual cycle or block sperm production.

 

Prior to beginning treatment with doxorubicin, it is important to tell your doctor if:

 

  • You have any allergies to the active substance, its excipients or other drugs, in particular daunorubicin, idarubicin or epirubicin
  • You are taking other medications, herbal remedies and supplements, citing in particular chemotherapy, phenobarbital and phenytoin
  • You suffer (or have suffered) of a particular disease
  • You are pregnant or breastfeeding

 

Furthermore, during treatment it is not recommended to undergo any vaccines without first talking to your doctor.