Uses
Liposomal doxorubicin is an anthracycline-type chemotherapy drug that is used to treat certain types of cancer (such as ovarian cancer, AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, multiple myeloma). It works by slowing or stopping cancer cell growth.
Other Uses
This section contains uses of this drug that are not listed in the approved professional labeling for the drug but that may be prescribed by your health care professional. Use this drug for a condition that is listed in this section only if it has been so prescribed by your health care professional.
This drug may also be used for breast cancer.
How To Use
This medication is given by injection into a vein over 30-60 minutes or longer by a health care professional. The dosage is based on your medical condition, body size, and response to therapy. Notify your doctor right away if redness, pain, or swelling occur at or near the injection site.
If this medication touches your skin, immediately and completely wash skin with soap and water. If this medication gets in your eye, open the eyelids and flush with plenty of water for 15 minutes. Get medical help right away.
Family members and caregivers should take precautions (such as wear gloves) to prevent contact with the patient's urine or other body fluid for at least 5 days after treatment. Consult your pharmacist.
Side Effects
See also Warning section.
Body aches/pains, headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, stomach upset, and loss of appetite may occur. Nausea and vomiting can be severe. In some cases, drug therapy may be needed to prevent or relieve nausea and vomiting. Not eating before your treatment may help relieve vomiting. Changes in diet and lifestyle, such as eating several small meals and limiting activity, may help lessen some of these effects. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
This medication may give a reddish-orange color to your urine, tears, and sweat. This is a normal effect of the drug and should not be mistaken for blood in your urine.
Temporary hair loss may occur. Normal hair growth should return several months after treatment has ended.
Remember that this medication has been prescribed because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
Treatment with this drug may sometimes cause your hands/feet to develop a skin reaction called hand-foot syndrome (palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia). Notify your doctor promptly if you experience swelling, pain, redness, dryness, peeling, blisters, or tingling/burning of the hands/feet. The symptoms can be made worse by heat/pressure on your hands/feet. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning booths, and sunlamps, as well as unnecessary exposure to heat (such as hot dishwater, long hot baths). Avoid pressure on elbows, knees, and soles of feet (such as leaning on elbows, kneeling, long walks). Wear loose clothing. Depending on how severe your hand-foot syndrome is, your doctor may give you something to reduce the symptoms, or decrease or delay your next dose of liposomal doxorubicin.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including:
- symptoms of heart failure (such as shortness of breath, swelling ankles/feet, unusual tiredness, unusual/sudden weight gain)
- drowsiness
- trouble sleeping
- mental/mood changes (such as anxiety, confusion, depression)
- cough/hoarseness
- redness/pain/swelling of arms/legs
- eye redness/itching
- painful/difficult urination
- stomach/abdominal pain
- yellowing of the skin/eyes
- dark urine
- black/tarry stools
- bloody mucus or discharge in stools
- vision changes (such as blindness)
- fast/irregular heartbeat
This medication may cause certain severe (rarely fatal) blood disorders (bone marrow suppression leading to low red blood cells/white blood cells /platelets). This can lower your body's ability to fight infection and stop bleeding. Tell your doctor right away if you develop any signs of infection (such as sore throat that doesn't go away, fever, chills), unusual tiredness, or easy bleeding/bruising.
Painful swelling or sores on the lips, mouth and throat may occur. To decrease the risk, limit hot foods and drinks, brush your teeth carefully, avoid using mouthwash that contains alcohol, and rinse your mouth often with cool water.
Get medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including:
Within days to weeks after doxorubicin treatment, a serious skin reaction that looks likes a severe sunburn (radiation recall) may develop on any area of skin that has been previously treated with radiation. Tell your doctor right away if you develop skin redness, pain, tenderness, swelling, peeling, or blisters. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help your skin heal faster and reduce the swelling. Sunlight may worsen any skin reactions that may occur while you are using this drug. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, tanning booths and sunlamps. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors.
In children, radiation recall may occur in the lungs. Tell the doctor right away if you notice wheezing or trouble breathing in the child.
Very rarely, people with cancer who are treated with this type of medication have developed other cancers (such as secondary leukemia, oral cancer). Your risk is greater if you have received this medication long-term (more than 1 year), or with certain types of chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Consult your doctor for more details.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including:
- rash
- itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat)
- severe dizziness
- trouble breathing
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Precautions
Before using liposomal doxorubicin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to doxorubicin; or to other drugs containing polyethylene glycol; or to lincomycin; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of:
- low blood cell counts (such as anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia)
- gout
- heart problems
- a history of receiving any anthracycline-type drug (such as doxorubicin, idarubicin, daunorubicin, mitoxantrone)
- infection
- liver problems
- radiation treatment (especially to the chest area)
- kidney problems
Liposomal doxorubicin can make you more likely to get infections or may make current infections worse. Stay away from anyone who has an infection that may easily spread (such as chickenpox, COVID-19, measles, flu). Talk to your doctor if you have been exposed to an infection or for more details.
Tell your health care professional that you are using liposomal doxorubicin before having any immunizations/vaccinations. Avoid contact with people who have recently received live vaccines (such as flu vaccine inhaled through the nose).
To lower the chance of getting cut, bruised or injured, use caution with sharp objects like safety razors and nail cutters, and avoid activities such as contact sports. Use a soft-bristle toothbrush to lower the risk of bleeding gums.
Children may be more sensitive to the side effects of this drug, especially effects on the heart.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. You should not become pregnant while using liposomal doxorubicin. Liposomal doxorubicin may harm an unborn baby. Your doctor should order a pregnancy test before you start this medication. Men and women using this medication should ask about reliable forms of birth control during treatment and for 6 months after the last dose. If you or your partner becomes pregnant, talk to your doctor right away about the risks and benefits of this medication.
This medication passes into breast milk. Because of the possible risk to the infant, breastfeeding is not recommended while using this medication. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Drug Interactions
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug include:
- digoxin
- progesterone
- streptozocin
- stavudine
- trastuzumab
- zidovudine
Other medications can affect the removal of doxorubicin from your body, which may affect how doxorubicin works. Examples include azole antifungals (such as ketoconazole), calcium channel blockers (such as verapamil, nifedipine), rifamycins (such as rifabutin), St. John's wort, drugs used to treat seizures (such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone), among others.
Avoid eating foods or products containing turmeric (curcumin) while being treated with liposomal doxorubicin. It may decrease this medication's effects. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
Overdose
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Alberta residents can call PADIS (Poison and Drug Information Service) 24 hours a day at 1-800-332-1414. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: unexplained bleeding.
Notes
Lab and/or medical tests (such as complete blood counts, heart studies, liver function) should be done while you are using this medication. Keep all medical and lab appointments. Consult your doctor for more details.
Missed Dose
It is important to get each dose of this medication as scheduled. If you miss a dose, ask your doctor or pharmacist right away for a new dosing schedule.
If you have questions about missing a dose or you don't have more medication, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Storage
Consult the product instructions and your pharmacist for storage details. Keep all medications away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.
Medical Alert
Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For information about enrolling in MedicAlert, call 1-888-633-4298 (US) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).
