(DOK-soh-ROO-bih-sin HY-droh-KLOR-ide)
Doxorubicin hydrochloride is a type of chemotherapy drug called an anthracycline. It blocks an enzyme called topoisomerase II, which cuts and repairs tangled strands of DNA. This stops or slows the growth of cancer cells and other rapidly dividing cells.
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Doxorubicin hydrochloride is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat:
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
- Acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
- Breast cancer. It is used:
- After surgery to remove the primary tumor in women whose cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. It is used with other drugs.
- In patients with metastatic breast cancer.
- Gastric (stomach) cancer that is metastatic.
- Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Neuroblastoma that is metastatic.
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Non-small cell lung cancer that is metastatic.
- Ovarian cancer that is metastatic.
- Small cell lung cancer that is metastatic.
- Soft tissue and bone sarcomas that are metastatic.
- Thyroid cancer that is metastatic.
- Transitional cell bladder cancer that is metastatic.
- Wilms tumor that is metastatic.
Doxorubicin hydrochloride is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
Doxorubicin hydrochloride is also available in a different form called doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome. For more information, see the Drug Information Summary for Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome.
More About Doxorubicin Hydrochloride
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary – Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
More About Doxorubicin Hydrochloride – A lay language summary of important information about this drug that may include the following:
- warnings about this drug,
- what this drug is used for and how it is used,
- what you should tell your doctor before using this drug,
- what you should know about this drug before using it,
- other drugs that may interact with this drug, and
- possible side effects.
Drugs are often studied to find out if they can help treat or prevent conditions other than the ones they are approved for. This patient information sheet applies only to approved uses of the drug. However, much of the information may also apply to unapproved uses that are being studied.
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Doxorubicin Hydrochloride – Check for trials from NCI’s list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.
