Drug Database: Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (Liposomal)

What is doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal)?

Doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) is an antineoplastic prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of certain types of cancer, including ovarian cancer, multiple myeloma, and AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma.

Kaposi sarcoma is caused by infection with human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8). HHV-8 infection can be an opportunistic infection (OI) of HIV. An OI is an infection that occurs more frequently or is more severe in people with weakened immune systems—such as people with HIV—than in people with healthy immune systems. To learn more about OIs, read the HIVinfo What is an Opportunistic Infection? fact sheet.

How is doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) used in people with HIV?

The Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV include recommendations on the uses of doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) to treat HHV-8 diseases, including advanced Kaposi sarcoma and multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) in people with both Kaposi sarcoma and MCD.

The recommended uses may not always be consistent with FDA-approved uses of doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal). See the Guidelines for complete information on recommended uses of doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) in adults and adolescents with HIV. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) may have other recommended uses not listed above.

What should I tell my health care provider before using doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal)?

Before using doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal), tell your health care provider:

• If you are allergic to doxorubicin hydrochloride or any other medicines.
• About any medical conditions you have or have had, including heart problems or liver problems.
• About any health conditions that may prevent you from receiving medicine by infusion.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of using doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) during pregnancy.
• If you are breast/chestfeeding or plan to breast/chestfeed. For people with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. People with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk.
• About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) work. Ask your health care provider if there are interactions between doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) and the other medicines you take.

Ask your health care provider about possible side effects from doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal). Your health care provider will tell you what to do if you have side effects.

How should I use doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal)?

Doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) is given by intravenous infusion over a period of time. It is administered by a health care provider in a hospital or clinic. Your health care provider will determine the amount of doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal) you receive and how often you receive it.

Read any printed information that your health care provider gives you about doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal).

Where can I find more information about doxorubicin (liposomal)?

• Recommendations on the HIV-related uses of doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal), from the Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV.
• This Patient Version drug summary is based on the following FDA label(s): Injection (suspension, liposomal). The Patient Counseling Information section of the label includes information for people receiving doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal).
• The American Hospital Formulary Service (AHFS) Patient Medication Information for doxorubicin lipid complex injection available from MedlinePlus.
• Research studies related to doxorubicin hydrochloride (liposomal), from ClinicalTrials.gov. (The ClinicalTrials.gov search can be modified so that you can get results that better match your interests. To learn more about the ClinicalTrials.gov search features, please see How to Search.)