title: Adriamycin given as a weekly schedule without a loading course: clinically effective with reduced incidence of cardiotoxicity.
abstract: Three hundred and thirty-six patients with a variety of tumors were treated with Adriamycin given weekly as an iv bolus of 1 mg/kg with subsequent doses adjusted for hematologic toxicity. This weekly schedule, not utilizing a loading course, resulted in only a 20% incidence of stomatitis. The number of evaluable patients and the percent with objective responses (respectively) according to tumor type were: lung (57 patients, 14%); sarcoma (62, 24%); breast (31, 35%); transitional cell carcinoma (17, 29%); non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (17, 29%); head and neck (16, 13%); colorectal (13, 0); ovarian (eight, 25%); and other (53, 11%). These response frequencies are comparable to those reported for every-3-week regimens using 60-75 mg/m2 of Adriamycin. Sixteen patients were given 450-550 mg/m2 of Adriamycin, five were given 550-600 mg/m2, and ten were given greater than 600 mg/m2. None of the study patients developed definite evidence of drug-induced congestive heart failure. Therefore, Adriamycin given as a weekly schedule provides a clinically effective alternative to the every-3-week schedule of administration. The weekly schedule is associated with tolerable toxicity and a decreased risk of developing drug-induced congestive heart failure.
mesh_terms: D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin