Formulary
Doxorubicin hydrochloride [Specialist drug]: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Doxorubicin hydrochloride [Specialist drug] clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Doxorubicin hydrochloride [Specialist drug]: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Doxorubicin hydrochloride [Specialist drug] clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Acute leukaemias,Hodgkin's lymphoma,Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,Solid tumours [including breast cancer],Soft-tissue sarcoma**
- **Adult** (By Intravenous Injection): Specialist drug - access specialist resources for dosing information.
**AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma,Ovarian cancer,Multiple myeloma,Breast cancer**
- **Adult** (By Intravenous Infusion): Specialist drug - access specialist resources for dosing information.
Contraindications
For doxorubicin hydrochloride [Specialist drug] Consult product literature
Side effects
For doxorubicin hydrochloride [Specialist drug] Common or very common Alopecia; anaemia; anxiety; appetite decreased; arrhythmias; arthralgia; asthenia; bone marrow depression; breast pain; cachexia; cardiovascular disorder; chest discomfort; chills; constipation; cough; decreased leucocytes; dehydration; depression; diarrhoea; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; dysphagia; dyspnoea; dysuria; electrolyte imbalance; epistaxis; eye inflammation; fever; gastrointestinal discomfort; gastrointestinal disorders; headache; hyperhidrosis; hypersensitivity; hypertension; hyperthermia; hypotension; increased risk of infection; influenza like illness; infusion related reaction; insomnia; malaise; mucosal abnormalities; muscle complaints; muscle tone increased; muscle weakness; nail disorder; nausea; nerve disorders; neutropenia; oedema; oral disorders; pain; scrotal erythema; sensation abnormal; sepsis; skin reactions; skin ulcer; syncope; taste altered; thrombocytopenia; vasodilation; vision blurred; vomiting; weight decreased Uncommon Confusion; embolism and thrombosis Rare or very rare Secondary oral neoplasms; severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) Frequency not known Asthma; congestive heart failure; secondary malignancy; throat tightness Side-effects, further information Extravasation can cause tissue necrosis. Cardiomyopathy Higher cumulative doses are associated with cardiomyopathy and it is usual to limit total cumulative doses to 450 mg/m 2 . Liposomal formulations Liposomal formulations of doxorubicin may reduce the incidence of cardiotoxicity and lower the potential for local necrosis, but infusion reactions, sometimes severe, may occur. Hand-foot syndrome (painful, macular reddening skin eruptions) occurs commonly with liposomal doxorubicin and may be dose limiting. It can occur after 2-3 treatment cycles and may be prevented by cooling hands and feet and avoiding socks, gloves, or tight-fitting footwear. It may also occur with non-liposomal formulations. Elevated bilirubin concentrations Doxorubicin is largely excreted in the bile and an elevated bilirubin concentration is an indication for reducing the dose.
Medicinal forms
Solution,Solution,Solution
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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