Drug Interactions With Doxorubicin

When you take certain other medicines along with doxorubicin, they may cause drug interactions. If doxorubicin is taken with medications such as "live" vaccinations, cyclosporine, and trastuzumab, it can increase your risk of side dangerous side effects (such as problems with the bone marrow and blood cells), or can lead to congestive heart failure. Therefore, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about potential drug interactions with doxorubicin that may apply to your situation.

 

An Overview of Drug Interactions With Doxorubicin

Doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin®, Doxil®) can potentially interact with other medications. Some of these medicines that may lead to doxorubicin interactions include:
 
  • Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®, Neosar®)
  • Cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®)
  • Cytarabine (Cytosar-U®)
  • "Live" vaccinations, including:
o Chickenpox vaccine (varicella vaccine)
o FluMist® (the nasal vaccine for influenza; the injected vaccine is not "live")
o MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella vaccine)
o Smallpox vaccine
o BCG vaccine (used in some countries for tuberculosis) 
(Drug Interactions With Doxorubicin Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;