Doxorubicin (Adriamycin)

General information

Class/mechanism: Anthracycline; binds and intercalates into DNA, inhibiting nucleotide replication and DNA/RNA polymerase activity. Intercalation of DNA triggers DNA cleavage via topoisomerase II. Toxic effects on organs may be related to cell membrane lipid binding activities; enzymatic electron reduction of doxorubicin creates reactive species, e.g. hydroxyl free radicals OH-, which has been implicated in cardiotoxicity by means of Cu (II) and Fe (III) reduction.
Route: IV
Extravasation: vesicant

For conciseness and simplicity, HemOnc.org currently will focus on treatment regimens and not list information such as: renal/hepatic dose adjustments, metabolism (including CYP450), excretion, monitoring parameters (although this will be considered for checklists), or manufacturer. Instead, for the most current information, please refer to your preferred pharmacopeias such as Micromedex, Lexicomp, UpToDate (courtesy of Lexicomp), or the prescribing information.

Diseases for which it is used

• Adrenocortical carcinoma
• Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma
• Anaplastic large cell lymphoma
• B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Cutaneous basal cell carcinoma
• Bladder cancer
• Breast cancer
• Burkitt lymphoma
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• Ewing sarcoma
• Follicular lymphoma
• Hepatoblastoma
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• HIV-associated lymphoma
• Hodgkin lymphoma
• Hodgkin lymphoma, nodular lymphocyte-predominant
• Kaposi sarcoma
• Mantle cell lymphoma
• Marginal zone lymphoma
• Mediastinal gray-zone lymphoma
• Multiple myeloma
• Osteosarcoma
• Pancreatic NET
• Peripheral T-cell lymphoma
• Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder
• Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma
• Renal cell carcinoma
• Rhabdomyosarcoma
• Soft tissue sarcoma
• Small cell lung cancer
• Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
• Thymoma
• Transformed lymphoma
• Transplant conditioning regimens
• Endometrial cancer
• Waldenström macroglobulinemia

Patient drug information

• Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) patient drug information (Chemocare)
• Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) package insert page 1
• Doxorubicin (Adriamycin) patient drug information (UpToDate)

History of changes in FDA indication

• 8/7/1974: Initial FDA approval
• 5/8/2003: Earliest date with label information at Drugs @ FDA: "Doxorubicin has been used successfully to produce regression in disseminated neoplastic conditions such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, Wilms’ tumor, neuroblastoma, soft tissue and bone sarcomas, breast carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, transitional cell bladder carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, Hodgkin’s disease, malignant lymphoma and bronchogenic carcinoma in which the small cell histologic type is the most responsive compared to other cell types. Doxorubicin is also indicated for use as a component of adjuvant therapy in women with evidence of axillary lymph node involvement following resection of primary breast cancer.

Also known as

• Code name: FI-106
• Generic names: ADM, doxorubicin hydrochloride, hydroxydaunorubicin
• Brand names:

Synonyms
Adriablastina	Adriacept	Adriacin	Adriamycin	Adriamycine	Adriblastin	Adriblastina	Adriblastine
Adricept	Adricin	Adrim	Adrimedac	Adrosal	Antraciclin	Biorrub	Biorubina
Cadria	Carcinocin	Cloridrato DE	Doxorrubicina Colhidrol	Daxotel	Deldoxin	Dicladox	Dobicin
Dobixin	Doxo	Doxobin	Doxo Cell	Doxocris	Doxokebir	Doxolem	Doxonolver
Doxor	Doxorrubicina	Doxoruben	Doxorubicina	Doxorubicine	Doxorubicinum	Doxorubin	Doxotec
Doxtie	Duxocin	Evacet	Farmiblastina	Fauldoxo	Flavicina	Ifadox	Kemodoxa
Lipodox	Lyphidox	Nagun	Neoxane	Nuaze	Oncodria	Onkodox	Onkostatil
Pallagicin	Ranxas	Rastocin	Ribodoxo	Roxorin	Rubex	Varidoxo	Zodox