|
|
| Site Navigation | Chemotherapy - Adriamycin |
|
|
| Adriamycin (generic name doxorubicin) is a
common chemotherapy agent in the treatment of Hodgkin's
Lymphoma / Disease and Nonhodgkin's Lymphoma. It is
more often than not used in conjunction with other chemotherapy agents in a multidrug
regimen. It is is a cytotoxic anthracycline antibiotic isolated from cultures of Streptomyces
peucetius var. caesius. As such, it is an antineoplastic - adriamycin
interferes with the growth of cancer cells. It is one of the older chemotherapy
drugs, having been in use for decades for several types of cancer. Before taking this medicine: Adriamycin interacts with a wide variety of drugs - inform your doctor of all medications and prior medical history. Should not be taken while pregnant and not while breast feeding. Children are more likely to suffer from heart problems than adults because of this drug. While taking this medicine: do not receive any immunizations without asking your doctor (this drug reduces the bodies ability to combat disease). It is important to keep in close contact with the doctor who will monitor dosage and effects. Avoid people with infections. Inform the doctor is you notice unusual bleeding, blood in stools/urine, or pinpoint red spots on your skin; also if you get an infection, have fevers/chills, lower back/side pain, or difficult urination. Avoid contact sports or other activity where bruising or injury could occur. Short Term Side Effects: Common: nausea and vomiting (ask your doctor about drugs to counteract nausea), sores on mouth & lips; Less Common: cough, fever/chills, fast or irregular heartbeat, swelling of extremities, diarrhea; Rare: black stools, blood in urine, pinpoint red spots on skin, unusual bleeding, wheezing, skin rash/itching. Adriamycin may turn the urine red which is not blood and should disappear within 2 days. Long Term Side Effects: hair loss (alopecia) during use - hair growth should return late in treatment or after treatment, possible sterility (weaker than some drugs) and heart toxicity (doses should be monitored) Some of the Regimens using Adriamycin / Doxorubicin:
Adriamycin Reference Links:
Cardiac Toxicity (Heart Damage): Again, adriamycin can sometimes damage the heart and there is a recommended lifetime dose to limit heart effects. Please consider consultations with your medical team about this prior to treatment.
Manufacturers
Disclaimer: This information is general in nature. Please consult with a doctor or the literature provided with the drugs if you need specific information on a drug. The author is not responsible for missing or inaccurate information and the reader assumes full responsibility for their actions. As always, please consult with medical personnel before undertaking any medical treatment. For more information on Hodgkin's Disease, please see the following pages: :
For more information on Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, please see the following pages: :
The Main Page - gateway to support and more This page is a work in progress. The author is not in the medical field and does not warrant the correctness of the material on this page or the sites linked - please take online information and consult with your own medical team to make informed decisions. Copyright © 1998-2005 Lymphoma Information
Network - All Rights Reserved |
||
 |
