DAUNORUBICIN

Anthracycline Cytotoxic antibiotic anticancer

Dosage Forms

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Powder for injection

50 mg

Uses

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  • Acute leukaemias

Dose and Duration

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Acute leukaemias
40‒60 mg/m² by IV injection

Schedule according to specialist guidelines

Reduce dose by up to 50% in patients with inadequate bone marrow reserves

Note: do not use IM route

Contraindications

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  • Recent or current chicken pox or herpes zoster
  • Myelosuppression
  • Severe infection
  • Severe renal or hepatic impairment
  • Myocardial insufficiency
  • Recent myocardial infarction
  • Severe arrhythmias

Side Effects

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  • Myelosuppression (leucopoenia, neutropoenia, thrombocytopenia)
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Hypersensitivity
  • Cardiomyopathy (dyspnoea, cyanosis, oedema), shock
  • Haemorrhage, stomatitis, mucositis
  • Tissue hypoxia
  • Alopecia
  • Infections and infestations
  • Amenorrhoea
  • Extravasation at injection site

Interactions

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  • Radiation (increased risk of local reactions in radiation area)
  • Live vaccines (risk of developing full-blown disease)

Pregnancy

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  • Do not use

Breastfeeding

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  • Discontinue breastfeeding

Storage

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  • After reconstitution, store at 2‒8°C; use within 24 hours

⚠️ Caution

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  • Monitor full blood count, liver and renal function frequently. Allow patient to recover from acute toxicities between doses (2‒3 weeks)
  • Men and women have to use effective contraception during and after treatment with docetaxel
  • Irritant to skin. Avoid direct contact
  • Anticancer medicines should only be handled by health workers trained and experienced in cytotoxic medicines