Cytotoxic antibiotics are used very commonly and widely in many malignancies.
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Bleomycin, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, dactinomycin, epirubicin, idarubicin, mitoxantrone and mitomycin.
Method of action
Direct toxic action on cellular DNA.1
Indications include
- Solid tumours, e.g. bladder, gastric, pancreatic and oesophageal.
- Acute leukaemias.
- Lymphomas.
- Breast cancer.
- Ovarian cancer - doxorubicin (see National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance).2
- Metastatic germ cell tumours and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - bleomycin.
Important interactions and cautions
- Radiotherapy - some cytotoxic antibiotics can result in toxicity.
- Irreversible cardiotoxicity - must be used cautiously in patients with previous cardiac illness.3 (A liposomal formulation of doxorubicin is available which is associated with less cardiotoxicity.)
- Liver impairment.
- Skin reactions - especially with doxorubicin.
Adverse effects
- Myelosuppression - usually occurs at 2-4 weeks with complete recovery by eight weeks.4 Rare with bleomycin, whereas mitomycin is associated with delayed myelosuppression.
- Extravasation causes severe skin necrosis.
- Excreted in bile; therefore, it is necessary to monitor bilirubin levels - if high, dose reduction is needed.
- Associated with cardiac toxicity - this is rare and includes supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and cardiomyopathies (related to dose).
Document references
- What are the different types of chemotherapy drugs?, American Cancer Society, Apr 2005
- Ovarian cancer (advanced) - paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride and topotecan, NICE Technology Appraisal (2005)
- Safra T; Cardiac safety of liposomal anthracyclines.; Oncologist. 2003;8 Suppl 2:17-24. [abstract]
- Rang HP, Dale MM, Ritter JM and Moore PK. (2003) Pharmacology, 5th ed, Bath, Churchill Livingstone
| Original Author: Dr Gurvinder Rull Last Checked: 4 Jan 2012 | Current Version: Dr Gurvinder Rull Document ID: 310 Version: 3 | Peer Reviewer: Dr Hannah Gronow © EMIS |