Adriamycin ®

Doxorubicin or Rubex is the description of Adriamycin a trademark anti-cancer chemotherapy drug. This drug comes under the anthracycline antiobiotic group of cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs.

Adriamycin is used to treat cancers of the head and neck, breast, bladder, leukemia, liver, lymphomas, lungs, multiple myeloma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate, mesothelioma, stomach, testis, thyroid etc.

An intravenous mode of treatment this drug is administered directly into the central line or the vein and this is repeated for several minutes. In some cases this drug is administered continuously, it is injected directly into the arteries but it is done only in rare cases. Adriamycin does not come in pill form.

A vesicant drug it has shown to cause tissue damage in case it comes in contact with the surrounding area of the vein. Swelling or redness if noticed during the mode of treatment should be brought into immediate notice of the doctor.

The dosage of this drug depends upon a number of factors like the weight, height, other body ailments, the present body condition, and type of cancer and the stage of cancer. The higher the dose of this drug the more severe the side effects of this drug.

The side effects that are associated with this mode of drug treatment is there have been cases of nausea, vomiting, decrease in the blood counts both the white blood and the red blood which could lead to infections, anemia, bleeding etc. Hair loss, mouth sores, watery eyes, change in the color of the urine, darkening of the nails, skin, fertility problems etc.

It has been noticed that the side effects can develop 5-8 years after the completion of the treatment. Other delayed side effects are you are at the risk of developing leukemia or blood cancer.

You need to consult your doctor if any of the following symptoms persist for more than 24 hours: High fever followed by chills, blisters around the IV site, breathlessness, swelling of the facial muscles, difficulty in breathing etc. Apart from this if you pass blood in your stool or urine, irregular pulse rates, mouth sores with bleeding, vomiting, diarrhea etc should be brought into immediate notice.

Certain precautionary measures:

Your doctor should know all about your present body ailments, medications, herbal or vitamin supplements, you should also consult your doctor before getting any immunization or vaccination. Avoid pregnancy as this could be fatal to the fetus, breast feeding should be avoided, if you are on a similar drug for congestive heart disease you should avoid this drug and also those who have a permanent problem with their blood counts should also avoid this drug.

Applying ice to the swelling will relieve you of the pain, you should avoid crowded place to prevent risk of infections. You should also avoid contact sports to prevent injuries, use of soft bristles helps prevent mouth sores and bleeding gums, follow a nutritious diet, increase the intake of water, avoid exposure to direct sunlight etc will help you minimize the side effects of this drug. A regular blood test will ensure the proper functioning of your internal body organs especially the kidney and the liver.

Adriamycin works on preventing the further cell division and induces the self destruction of these cells like all cancer drugs this drug not only destroys these cancerous cells but also destroys those healthy cells which surround the cancerous cells.