No, It is an anthracycline antibiotic (note: in this context, this does not mean it is used to treat bacterial infections) closely related to the natural product daunomycin and like all anthracyclines, it works by intercalating DNA, with the most serious adverse effect being life-threatening heart damage. It is commonly used in the treatment of a wide range of cancers, including hematological malignancies (blood cancers, like leukaemia and lymphoma), many types of carcinoma (solid tumours) and soft tissue sarcomas. It is often used in combination chemotherapy as a component of various chemotherapy regimens.

Common adverse effects of doxorubicin include hair loss (seen in most of those treated with the drug), myelosuppression (a compromised ability of the body's bone marrow to produce new blood cells), nausea and vomiting (which are seen in roughly 30-90% of people treated with the drug), oral mucositis, oesophagitis, diarrhoea, skin reactions (including hand-foot syndrome) and localised swelling and redness along the vein in which the drug is delivered. Less common, yet serious reactions include hypersensitivity reactions (including anaphylaxis), radiation recall, heart damage and liver dysfunction.

The most dangerous side effect of doxorubicin is cardiomyopathy, leading to congestive heart failure. The incidence of this cardiomyopathy is dependent on its cumulative dose, with an incidence about 4% when the dose of doxorubicin is 500–550 mg/m², 18% when the dose is 551–600 mg/m² and 36% when the dose exceeds 600 mg/m².

Hi, Alessia, if you are proposed AC regimen (doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide) as an adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer, probably, if you strongly refuse doxorubicin, I will suggest a change to TC (docetaxel + cyclophosphamide) regimen. I'm a practicing medical oncologist.

Dear Alessia! Pls clarify you question! You have ask about CARCINOGENIC effect of doxorubicine (i.e possibility to cause secondary malignancies)? If - yes, you can't find chemotherapeutic drugs without this kind of side effect (all drugs for cancer chemotherapy are less or more cancerogenic). If you have ask about CARDIOGENIC side effects (i.e. cardiac damage) - yes, it's possible to use alternative antracycline-free regiments (depended of disease). Best regards!

Dear Alessia,

If what you mean is cardiotoxicity, there are others anthracyclines (lopisomales) in which these effects are reduced and the comparison between these drugs, Daunorubicin has less toxicity.

Likewise a possible replacement is Mitoxantrone (synthetic analogue of anthracyclines) less toxicity.

But it is clear that depending of the case, history of heart disease, etc ..you could use or not these drugs.

If you mean the risk of second malignancies, that exists with most chemotherapies.

Hi

The drug is Adriamycin

Regards

http://www.drugs.com/drp/adriamycin-for-injection-usp.html

This is the recent review about the use of anticancer drugs in pregnancy:

Article Anticancer drugs during pregnancy

Please, find your answer there.