Why is doxorubicin called the Red Devil?

This agent has earned its infamous nickname, the red devil, based on its bright red (Kool-Aid red) color, vesicant properties, and side-effect profile, including hair loss, myelosuppression, nausea and vomiting, mouth sores, and rare but serious cardiotoxicity.

Why is doxorubicin toxic?

Doxorubicin appears to induce toxic damage to the mitochondria of cardiomyocytes. Several mitochondrial enzymes such as NADH dehydrogenase, cytochrome P-450 reductase and xanthine oxidase are involved in generating oxygen free radicals (reactive oxygen species) [3,23,24,25].

Can doxorubicin affect your eyes?

Blepharospasm, keratitis, and decreased visual acuity were reported once each in patients treated with combination chemotherapeutic regimens containing doxorubicin. These reactions usually resolved rapidly on discontinuation of the drug. Conjunctivitis frequently followed accidental ocular exposure to doxorubicin.

Do you lose your hair with doxorubicin?

v Hair loss is unusual with liposomal doxorubicin, but some patients do experience more hair loss than others. If hair loss occurs, hair growth should return upon completion of treatment.

Can doxorubicin cause heart failure?

Doxorubicin May Cause Heart Damage Doxorubicin causes both early and late heart damage (also called cardiotoxicity). The early damage occurs immediately after drug administration or within 1 to 2 days.

How many cycles of doxorubicin are there?

Six Cycles of Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide or Paclitaxel Are Not Superior to Four Cycles As Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer in Women With Zero to Three Positive Axillary Nodes: Cancer and Leukemia Group B 40101. Lawrence N.

What is doxorubicin used to treat?

Doxorubicin is an anthracyline drug first extracted from Streptomyces peucetius var. caesiusin the 1970’s and routinely used in the treatment of several cancers including breast, lung, gastric, ovarian, thyroid, non-Hodgkin’s and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, sarcoma, and pediatric cancers [5–7].

How does doxorubicin cause cardiotoxicity?

Mechanisms of cardiotoxicity The exact mechanism of cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin is somewhat controversial. There are two main theories (i) iron-related free radicals and formation of doxorubicinol metabolite and (ii) mitochondrial disruption, which is somewhat intertwined (reviewed in [17] and [18] and shown in Fig. 2).

What is the mechanism of action of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide?

Cyclophosphamide, which was approved in 1959, is a widely used alkylating agent effectively inducing DNA crosslinking [21]. Next, doxorubicin intercalates into the DNA and binds proteins involved in DNA replication and transcription, which results in inhibition of DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis followed by cell death triggering [22].

What are the side effects of Dox?

Moreover, DOX (a drug for the treatment of liver cancer) is widely applied in clinical disease diagnosis [7, 8], but its side and toxic effects are also high on the normal tissues of the body. The main side and toxic effect is cardiac toxicity, and it can cause heart failure in severe cases.