Doxil (Doxorubicin liposomal) for Myeloma

Overview

Doxil is a prescription medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating cancers including multiple myeloma. In cases of myeloma, Doxil is usually combined with Velcade and administered to individuals who have received at least one other form of therapy. Doxil is also known by its drug name, liposomal doxorubicin. Doxil is an anti-cancer drug used in chemotherapy. Doxil is a member of a drug class called anthracycline antibiotics. Doxil is also a topoisomerase inhibitor. Doxil is believed to work by damaging DNA and blocking cell division in several different ways.

How do I take it?

Doxil is administered as an intravenous infusion during chemotherapy treatment. Doxil comes in the form of a single-dose vial.

Side effects

The FDA-approved label for Doxil lists common side effects including fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, hair loss, rash on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet, itching, low blood cell counts, darkening of the skin, nails, and inside of the mouth, loss of appetite, fatigue, and increased risk for infection. Rare but serious side effects listed for Doxil include heart damage or inflammation, severe reaction to infusions, fetal harm in pregnant women, and hand-foot syndrome (redness and swelling on the palms of the hand and soles of the feet).

For more details about this treatment, visit:

Doxil — Janssen https://www.doxil.com Drug Therapy for Multiple Myeloma — American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/cancer/multiple-myeloma/treating/chemotherapy.html