• Basic Info
• Clinical Info

What is this medicine?

DOXORUBICIN (dox oh ROO bi sin) is a chemotherapy drug. It is used to treat many kinds of cancer like Hodgkin's disease, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, neuroblastoma, sarcoma, and Wilms' tumor. It is also used to treat bladder cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, stomach cancer, and thyroid cancer.

This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• blood disorders
• heart disease, recent heart attack
• infection (especially a virus infection such as chickenpox, cold sores, or herpes)
• irregular heartbeat
• liver disease
• recent or ongoing radiation therapy
• an unusual or allergic reaction to doxorubicin, other chemotherapy agents, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding

How should I use this medicine?

This drug is given as an infusion into a vein. It is administered in a hospital or clinic by a specially trained health care professional. If you have pain, swelling, burning or any unusual feeling around the site of your injection, tell your health care professional right away.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

What if I miss a dose?

It is important not to miss your dose. Call your doctor or health care professional if you are unable to keep an appointment.

What may interact with this medicine?

Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:

• cisapride
• droperidol
• halofantrine
• pimozide
• zidovudine

This medicine may also interact with the following medications:

• chloroquine
• chlorpromazine
• clarithromycin
• cyclophosphamide
• cyclosporine
• erythromycin
• medicines for depression, anxiety, or psychotic disturbances
• medicines for irregular heart beat like amiodarone, bepridil, dofetilide, encainide, flecainide, propafenone, quinidine
• medicines for seizures like ethotoin, fosphenytoin, phenytoin
• medicines for nausea, vomiting like dolasetron, ondansetron, palonosetron
• medicines to increase blood counts like filgrastim, pegfilgrastim, sargramostim
• methadone
• methotrexate
• pentamidine
• progesterone
• vaccines
• verapamil

Talk to your doctor or health care professional before taking any of these medicines:

• acetaminophen
• aspirin
• ibuprofen
• ketoprofen
• naproxen

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

Last Updated: April 07, 2009