Doxorubicin
For more than 50 years, oncologists prescribed doxorubicin for the treatment of numerous cancers, including mesothelioma. Although the drug is highly effective, its use is limited by its potential to damage heart muscle tissue. It is commonly used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs.
Written by Karen Selby, RN | Medically Reviewed By Dr. Rupesh Kotecha | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: June 27, 2024
"Most helpful, steered us in the right direction for treatment. Great source of information and support, the Center followed through on every one of our requests...." see more
Elaine C.
Mesothelioma Patient
"Because of their guidance, I was able to navigate getting my mother into MD Anderson when her case got put aside by mistake in all the COVID-19 craziness. Vanes...." see more
Deanna B.
Daughter of a Mesothelioma Patient
"Hearing the news about my mother's diagnosis was heartbreaking. I felt lost, I didn't know how I could help or where to seek the best medical care. I started re...." see more
Danielle W.
Daughter of a Mesothelioma Patient
"My son Carlos was diagnosed with this terrible and unknown disease a few months ago. Thank God we found The Mesothelioma Center along the way, and Vanessa Blanc...." see more
Martha M.
Mother of a Mesothelioma Patient
"Extremely communicative and helped my dad get an appointment with one of the top centers in Philadelphia. I'm so grateful for this center. They assisted with in...." see more
Sunni H.
Loved One of a Mesothelioma Patient
"Danielle DiPietro was an invaluable resource for me. Her suggestions and recommendations guided us towards stellar practitioners in our area. Without her advoca...." see more
Deborah C.
Spouse of a Mesothelioma Patient
"I was very grateful and appreciative of Dr. Smart from The Mesothelioma Center. She was very helpful to my husband and me. She educated and walked us through th...." see more
Kimberlin C.
Spouse of a Mesothelioma Patient
"In January of 2016, my husband was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Our first reaction was: what is this and what can we do? He was diagnosed by an oncol...." see more
Gloria R.
Spouse of a Mesothelioma Patient
Written by Karen Selby, RN | Medically Reviewed By Dr. Rupesh Kotecha | Edited By Walter Pacheco | Last Update: June 27, 2024
What Is Doxorubicin?
Doxorubicin was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1995 and is used to treat a number of cancers, including breast cancer and lung cancer.
Study results show that the drug can extend the lives of mesothelioma patients. The results show even more improved survival times when it is used along with other chemotherapy drugs, but using such a combination has potential to cause long-term side effects.
It is important to consider the benefits and risks of chemotherapy with the guidance of your oncologist and the support of your loved ones.
How Is Doxorubicin Used?
Doxorubicin is administered intravenously. The duration of administration and the dosage will depend upon whether it is combined with another chemotherapy drug.
Some studies are also testing it in a heated chemotherapy capacity. In heated chemotherapy, surgeons put the heated drug inside the chest or abdominal cavity immediately following surgery to enhance contact with cancer growth.
A 2021 clinical research study concluded that the combination of cisplatin and doxorubicin is the recommended drug regimen for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.
Several forms of doxorubicin, including Adriamycin and Doxil, have been tested on people with mesothelioma. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (HCL) is sold under the brand name Adriamycin and is manufactured by Pfizer. Doxorubicin HCL liposome injection is sold under the brand name Doxil in the U.S. and as Caelyx in the U.K. and is manufactured by Janssen.
| Name | Doxorubicin |
| Alternate Names | Adriamycin, Doxil, Caelyx, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Doxorubicin HCL, Rubex, Myocet |
| Manufacturer | Pfizer, Janssen Medical, Teva Parenteral Medicines, Bedford Laboratories, APP Pharmaceuticals |
| Dosage | 75 mg/m² every three weeks |
| Administration Route | Infusion |
| Active Ingredient | Doxorubicin HCL |
| Drug Class | Anthracycline |
| Medical Code | J9000, J9002, Q2049, Q2050 |
| Related Drug | Daunorubicin |
| Interacting Drug | Progesterone, turmeric, St. John’s wort, paclitaxel, anti-seizure medications, calcium channel blockers, azole antifungals, rifamycins, verapamil, cyclosporine, dexrazoxane, cytarabine, sorafenib, cyclophosphamide, digoxin, streptozocin, saquinavir, stavudine, trastuzumab, zidovudine |
| Medical Studies | Clinical Trial of Intraperitoneal Hyperthermic Chemotherapy (HIPEC/IPHC) |
| FDA Warning | Heart toxicity, nausea and vomiting, secondary cancer, immune suppression, myelosuppression, phlebitis/thrombophlebitis, liver damage, fetal harm |
Gain access to top mesothelioma doctors and get help scheduling appointments.
Connect NowWhat Are the Side Effects of Doxorubicin?
The most common side effects of doxorubicin include hair loss, darkening of nails, nausea, vomiting, bruising, abnormal heartbeat and stomach pain. If you feel pain, itching, redness, swelling, blisters or sores near the injection site following administration, inform your doctor promptly.
Patients treated with doxorubicin also have a slightly elevated risk of developing leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome (which can develop into leukemia) years after treatment. The risk of leukemia increases in patients treated with a combination of doxorubicin and other chemotherapy drugs. In a review of 8,563 breast cancer patients who received treatment with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide, 45 developed leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome.
Study Results
According to a review of mesothelioma clinical trials published in the journal Cancer, doxorubicin administered alone resulted in a median life span of seven to nine months. By combining it with other chemotherapy agents, median life span increases to seven to 13 months. Some people with mesothelioma have surpassed the median life expectancy by several years after combination chemotherapy. Patients with the epithelial cell type of mesothelioma tend to respond better to doxorubicin than patients with other cell types.
In one study, 67 peritoneal mesothelioma patients were treated with doxorubicin and the chemotherapy drugs paclitaxel and cisplatin. The patients achieved a median survival of 79 months, or about 6.5 years, and one patient lived past 12 years.
A small Japanese study on peritoneal mesothelioma patients published in 2010 confirmed these results. It studied the efficacy of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin alone and in combination with other chemotherapy agents. The study found that cisplatin was most effective in mesothelioma patients when it was combined with doxorubicin rather than with gemcitabine or pemetrexed, two other successful chemotherapy drugs.
An interesting case report of a nine-year survivor with pleural mesothelioma who responded well to combination chemotherapy with doxorubicin was published in 2012. The 67-year-old man was treated with the chemotherapy drugs etoposide, paclitaxel and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride (a form of doxorubicin that is more absorbed by tumors than normal tissues). The patient’s follow-up continues, and CT scans indicate the cancer hasn’t progressed for nine years.
Research continues to investigate the therapeutic benefits of doxorubicin for people with mesothelioma. Clinical trials in the United States and in other countries are ongoing.
This Page Contains 17 Cited Articles
The sources on all content featured in The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com include medical and scientific studies, peer-reviewed studies and other research documents from reputable organizations.
- Sezer, T.O. et al. (2021, March 15). Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Malign Peritoneal Mesothelioma: Clinical Aspects and Therapeutic Perspectives. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12262-021-02809-y
- American Cancer Society (2011). Chemotherapy. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/malignant-mesothelioma/treating/chemotherapy.html
- Chemocare (2005). Chemotherapy drugs: Doxorubicin. Retrieved from http://www.chemocare.com/bio/doxorubicin.asp
- Cognetti, F., Ceribelli, An & Cecere, F.L. (2008). Clinical oncology of mesothelioma. In A. Baldi (Ed.), Mesothelioma from Bench Side to Clinic, pp. 347-356.
- Food and Drug Administration (2011). Current drug shortages. Retrieved from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/
- Food and Drug Administration (2011). FDA-approved drug products: Doxorubicin hydrochloride. Retrieved from http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/index.cfm?fuseaction=Search.Search_Drug_Name
- Jänne, P.A. (2003). Chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma. Clinical Lung Cancer, 5(2), pp. 98-106. Retrieved from http://cigjournals.metapress.com/content/b13l5km75wq742q0/fulltext.pdf
- Medline Plus (2011). Doxorubicin. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a682221.html
- National Cancer Institute (2011). Cancer drug information: Doxorubicin hydrochloride. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/druginfo/doxorubicinhydrochloride
- National Cancer Institute (2011). Dictionary of cancer terms: Doxorubicin. Retrieved from http://cancer.gov/dictionary?cdrid=45140
- Kim, S.T., et al (2010). The efficacy of the frontline platinum-based combination chemotherapy in malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology, 40(11), pp. 1031-1036. Retrieved from https://academic.oup.com/jjco/article/40/11/1031/906872/The-Efficacy-of-the-Frontline-Platinum-based
- Pfizer Inc. (2011). Doxorubicin hydrochloride for injection. Retrieved from http://labeling.pfizer.com/ShowLabeling.aspx?id=530
- Smith, R.E., Bryant, J., DeCillis, A., & Anderson, S. (2003). Acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome after doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide adjuvant therapy for operable breast cancer: The national surgical adjuvant breast and bowel project experience. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 21(7): 1195-1204. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12663705/
- Yan, T.D., et al (2006). A systemic review on the efficacy of cytoreductive surgery combined with perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy for diffuse malignancy peritoneal mesothelioma. Annals of Oncology, 18, pp. 827-834. Retrieved from http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/18/5/827.full.pdf
- Zarogoulidis, P., Mavroudi, M., Porpodis, K., Domvri, K., Sakkas, A., Machairiotis, N., & Zarogoulidis, K. (2012). Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in malignant pleural mesothelioma: A possible guardian for long-term survival. Journal of Onco Targers and Therapy, 5: 231-236. doi: 10.2147/OTT.S36915
- Lerner, H.J. et al. (1983). Malignant Mesothelioma: The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Experience. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/1097-0142%2819831201%2952%3A11%3C1981%3A%3AAID-CNCR2820521102%3E3.0.CO%3B2-P
- Tomek, S. et al. (2003). Chemotherapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma: Past results and recent developments. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/6600673
Get Free Recipes for Mesothelioma Patients
Mesothelioma Trust Funds
Find Active Mesothelioma Clinical Trials
