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Doxil ®

Generic Name: Doxorubicin liposomal
Drug Type:
Doxil is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. It is the drug doxorubicin encapsulated in a closed lipid sphere (liposome). Doxil is classified as an "anthracycline antibiotic." (For more detail, see "How Doxil Works" section below).
What Doxil Is Used For:
Doxil is used to treat AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other solid tumors.
Note: If a drug has been approved for one use, physicians sometimes elect to use this same drug for other problems if they believe it might be helpful.

How Doxil Is Given:

• Doxil is given by injection through a vein (intravenously, by IV).
• Doxil is an irritant. An irritant is a chemical that can cause inflammation of the vein through which it is given. If Doxil escapes from the vein it can cause tissue damage. The nurse or doctor who gives Doxil must be carefully trained. If you experience pain or notice redness or swelling at the IV site while you are receiving Doxil, alert your health care professional immediately.
• There is no pill form of Doxil.
• The amount of Doxil you will receive depends on many factors, including your height and weight, your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer you have. Your doctor will determine your dose and schedule.

Doxil Side Effects:
Important things to remember about Doxil side effects:

• Most people do not experience all of the Doxil side effects listed.
• Doxil side effects are often predictable in terms of their onset and duration.
• Doxil side effects are almost always reversible and will go away after treatment is complete.
• There are many options to help minimize or prevent Doxil side effects.
• There is no relationship between the presence or severity of Doxil side effects and the effectiveness of Doxil.
• The side effects of Doxil and their severity depend on how much Doxil is given. In other words, higher doses may produce more severe side effects.

Infusion-related Doxil side effects (symptoms which may occur during the actual treatment) include:

• Infusion-related reaction: symptoms include flushing, shortness of breath, facial swelling, headache, back pain, flushing, tightness in the chest and throat and/or low blood pressure. Happens in less than 10% of patients. Symptoms go away when the infusion is stopped and typically does not recur when the infusion is restarted at a slower rate. The first infusion is usually given at a slow rate to avoid the risk of these reactions.

The following Doxil side effects are common, meaning they occur in 30 percent or more of patients taking Doxil:

• Low blood counts. Your white and red blood cells may temporarily decrease. This can put you at increased risk for infection and/or anemia.

Nadir: Meaning low point, nadir is the point in time between chemotherapy cycles in which you experience low blood counts.
Onset: 7 days
Nadir: 10-14 days
Recovery: 21-28 days

• Hand -foot syndrome (Palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia or PPE) -skin rash, swelling, redness, pain and/or peeling of the skin on the palms of hands and soles of feet. Usually mild, starting 5-6 weeks after start of treatment. May require reductions in the dose of Doxil.
• Mouth sores

These Doxil side effects are less common, meaning they occur in 10-29 percent of patients receiving Doxil:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Low blood counts (low platelet counts). This may put you at an increased risk of bleeding.
• Weakness
• Hair loss
• Constipation
• Poor appetite
• Diarrhea
• Discoloration of the urine (red/orange color) for about 48 hours after treatment
• Darkening of skin at the site of previous radiation therapy. (radiation recall - see skin reactions).
• Darkening, discoloration of nail beds (see skin reactions)